Frequently Asked Questions
Housing Needs
1. Who can apply for housing in Hackney?
Anyone 16 or over can apply to join the housing waiting list, although we need to make sure that people in the greatest need are housed first.
By law we can’t take applications from:
- Anyone subject to immigration control.
- Anyone guilty of unacceptable behaviour, including rent arrears or anti-social behaviour.
2. How do I apply?
You will need to complete a Housing Register Application Form:
- You can print off an application pack from the Hackney website
- You can email or call the Hackney Contact Centre, info@hackney.gov.uk 020 8356 2929, and ask us to send an application pack to you, by email or by post.
- You can also ask for an application pack from the Housing Options and Advice Service.
We check the information and the documents you give us to make sure they are correct. We also have to ask a lot of questions about you and the people you want to live with you so we can decide:
- if you are eligible for social housing
- how urgent your housing need is
- what kind of home you need
3. The Housing Register application form asks for an address - what do I do if I can’t provide one, because I am homeless?
We need an address where we can send letters to you. This could be the address of a friend, relative or hostel – any address where you can regularly pick up letters.
4. What do you do with my application?
We will assess your application, based on the information you have given us. We will award you a number of housing points, paying particular attention to overcrowding, health factors and homelessness. Your points will determine which band of the housing waiting list your application goes into.
5. What are the housing waiting list bands and how do they affect my chances of being offered housing?
There are four bands: ‘urgent’, ‘priority’, ‘general’ and ‘reserve’. Applicants with the most points go into the ‘urgent’ or ‘priority’ bands and have more chance of being offered housing. Those with fewer points go into ‘general’ or ‘reserve’ and stand little or no chance of being offered housing.
Applicants with fewer points, you should also try other housing options. Follow these links for more information, advice and contact numbers.
Helpful Contacts and Support Agencies
Single People and Couples Without Children
Security of Tenure in Privately Rented Homes
6. Are there any circumstances where I might be given priority for housing?
Yes – here are some examples:
1) If you have health problems that make it difficult for you, or for others in your household, to continue living where you are now. Examples of this would include having trouble using stairs, or not having enough space to use a wheelchair. You will need to fill out a medical assessment form for each person in your household who has these problems, when you apply to go on the Housing Register.
Medical Assessment Form Part 1
Medical Assessment Form Part 2
2) If you feel unsafe where you are currently living, especially if there is a real threat of injury or death. We will investigate the risk when you apply and look at whether we could remove or reduce this threat, by moving you.
3) We also consider ‘emergency’ situations, e.g.:
- Emergency hospital discharge cases, who can’t go into temporary accommodation.
- Fire and flood victims in Council homes.
- Emergency re-housing for police witnesses under threat.
7. I have been told that my chances of being housed are better if I have a ‘local connection’ to Hackney. What does ‘local connection’ mean?
If you have a local connection to Hackney, it will improve your chances of being offered housing in the Borough. Your ‘local connection’ to Hackney could be any one of the following:
- You live in Hackney
- You work in Hackney
- You have been staying in temporary accommodation sourced by Hackney Council
- You have close family (e.g. parent, grandparent, brother or sister) who has been living in the Borough for at least 5 years
There may also be other special circumstances that give you a ‘local connection’ to Hackney. We will assess your local connection when you apply.
8. What should I do if I do not have a local connection to Hackney?
If you don’t have a local connection to Hackney, you may be better off applying to the local authority in the area where you have the strongest local connection. To find out your nearest local authority, go to the Direct.Gov website.
9. What should I do if I am not a priority for housing?
If you are not considered a priority for housing, the number of housing points you will get will place you into the lower bands. Although you will be on the housing waiting list, you may be better off looking at other housing options. Follow these links for more information, advice and contact numbers.
Helpful Contacts and Support Agencies
Single People and Couples Without Children
Security of Tenure in Privately Rented Homes
10. Once I am on the housing waiting list, can I bid for properties?
Yes – once you are on the housing waiting list you can bid for Council properties through Hackney Choice. This includes housing association properties.
Everyone on the waiting list can bid for available properties. However, successful bidders will be those with the greatest need and are likely to be in the top three bands of the waiting list. There are other options you can try. Follow these links for more information, advice and contact numbers.
Helpful Contacts and Support Agencies
Single People and Couples Without Children
Security of Tenure in Privately Rented Homes
11. How does the Council allocate properties?
The Council doesn’t allocate properties – instead people on the housing waiting list can bid for available homes, through a choice based lettings scheme that we operate called Hackney Choice.
As properties become available they are advertised in the weekly ‘Choice Homes’ magazine and on the East London Lettings Company website. You will be able to bid for the properties you are interested in. This will give you a better idea of what properties are available and the waiting times, which can help you make choices about where you want to live and what kind of accommodation you want to bid for.
12. When can I make a bid?
Once you’ve been given your bidding reference number you will be able to bid every week if you wish. The bidding period runs from Friday to Monday.
13. How many properties can I bid for?
You can bid for up to two properties per week.
14. Can I bid on any property?
You can only bid for properties with the number of bedrooms we have assessed you need (or one bedroom less). This is based on the information you gave us when you applied to go on the Housing Register. If you think you need more bedrooms, please contact the Housing Register Team.
15. How will I know when I have been successful?
You will be able to check your position in the queue on the Internet, at a touch screen kiosk, or over the phone, by calling the Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000. If your queue position is between 1 and 20, you may be invited to view the property.
You may have to wait up to five working days after the bidding period has closed, before you find out if you have been successful. The bidding period closes at midnight each Monday.
If you are successful, the Council will organise for the Housing Association or Registered Social Landlord to contact you, to invite you to see the property.
16. How do I make a bid?
There are five ways you can bid for a property:
- Internet
- Touch screen kiosk
- 24-hour multi-lingual phone line
- Text message
- Arranging for someone else to bid for you
Internet
Most people bid on the Internet at: www.ellcchoicehomes.org.uk.
You can view all the available properties, click on an advert to apply – and also check your queue position.
You can check the properties you have bid for and change your bids anytime until bidding closes on Monday at midnight.
Touch screen kiosk
You can bid from one of 12 kiosks across the Borough, including those in Neighbourhood Housing Offices , Housing Options and Advice reception, Hackney Town Hall, 2 Hillman Street as well as in some community organisations.
You can view all the available properties, click on an advert to apply – and also check your queue position.
You can check the properties you have bid for and change your bids anytime until bidding closes on Monday at midnight.
24 hour multi-lingual phone line
To bid by phone call 0845 650 4125. This is charged at the cost of a local call if you are ringing from a landline or the standard call rates from a mobile phone. An automated service will take you through the bidding and you can choose from 14 languages.
For each bid, the automated service will tell you your position in the bidding queue. Please remember this may change, depending on who else bids for the same property. You won’t know your final position until the bidding has closed.
Text message
To bid by text, send a message to 0778 148 6526 stating your housing registration number, your date of birth, and the property reference number(s) you want to bid for. Each text costs 10p.
Arranging for someone else to bid for you
If you can’t get onto the Internet, or you can’t get to one of the touch screen kiosks in the Borough, you can call the Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000 and ask them to bid for you, or to check your position in the queue.
If you are an existing tenant, the staff at your local Neighbourhood Housing Office can help you to bid.
Alternatively, you can make a regular arrangement through the Hackney Choice Team. For example, the team can arrange for bids to be placed automatically for you each week, based on the property features you want (e.g. a garden or sheltered housing).
Hackney Choice How to bid guide
17. What do I do if I can’t log in to bid?
If you are having difficulty logging in, please call the Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000 and ask them to check your bidding account.
Page updated: 1 Dec 2009