The housing register
Housing register
In Maidstone subsidised housing, or social housing as it was previously known, is provided by housing associations. It is an alternative to private renting.
It provides a relatively small number of new tenancies each year, and these often have much less choice than you can find with privately rented properties.
If you're interested in this sort of housing you will need to be eligible and apply to be on the Housing Register. You can also take a look at our Find an Affordable Home pages if you would like to look into other types of housing.
The housing register is for anyone over 18 who qualifies to go on our register. To qualify you will need to have a housing need and have a local connection to Maidstone.
Housing Need
You will have to fulfil at least one of the following housing need criteria:
- Overcrowding - applicants will have to be lacking in one or more bedrooms. (Two children are expected to share a room up until the age of 10 regardless of gender, and up until 16 if they are the same gender. Anyone over the age of 16 will be entitled to their own bedroom).
- Hardship - an applicant has to move to give or receive care.
- Medical or Welfare - a member of the household is unable to access the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen or living room in the property.
- Unsatisfactory Housing - there are one or more hazards in the home that affects the health of those living there. For example inadequate heating, trip and fall hazards, fire hazard, inadequate facilities, mould spores caused by dampness and so on.
Local Connection
You will need to fulfil at least one of the following local connection criteria:
- Lived in Maidstone for the last two years
- Have an immediate family member that has lived in Maidstone for the last five years
- Work in Maidstone (for a minimum of 16 hours a week)
- Lived in Maidstone for two of the last five years, but not currently living in Maidstone
If you are eligible you can apply to the housing register. If you are not eligible you can take a look at our Find an Affordable Home pages.
The register
To apply to the housing register you will have to fill in our online application form and provide information to support your application and confirm your circumstances.
View the list of the documents you will need to provide.
You can supply these documents by email, or by bringing them to The Maidstone Link.
Once we have processed your application we will send you a letter with your bidding number and tell you which band you have been placed in.
If you have any questions about completing the application or the housing register please take a look at our FAQ's. If you or someone you know needs access to the internet or support to complete the application please see the list of publicly available computers and computer support.
The last day for receipt of paper applications is Monday 30 June 2014. Any applications received after this date will not be processed, and you will need to submit a new application online.
The bands
When we have processed your application we will place you in one of the bands below:
Band C – Community Contribution and Homelessness Prevention
This band is for those people who provide a service to the community. This includes through employment, volunteering, fostering, carers and members of the Armed Forces. It also includes applicants who have a Homelessness Prevention Duty accepted.
Band H – Homeless
This band is for those who are defined as homeless under the 1996 Housing Act (this includes rough sleepers) or who have a Homelessness Relief Duty accepted.
Band M – Medical and Health Assistance
This band is if someone in your house is unable to access the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen or living room.
Band R – Reasonable Preference (Unsuitable Housing)
This band is for households that have a local connection and a housing need.
Once you have been placed in a band and given a bidding number you can start bidding for properties through the Kent Homechoice website.
In Maidstone subsidised housing, or social housing as it was previously known, is provided by housing associations. Priority is given to those in most need of housing. For more information on how we allocate the properties see our Allocation Scheme Policy
Bidding for a property
Once you’ve filled in the form and have been told what band you are in, you’ll be given a bidding number which means you can bid for properties in Maidstone. Houses are advertised daily and you can bid on a property at any time before the bidding closing date.