tyneandwearhomes.org.uk

• You can bid for up to three homes per week.  Only bid for homes you would be willing to accept. 

• Available homes will be advertised weekly, between Thursday at 00:01 and Monday at 23:59, at www.tyneandwearhomes.org.uk. and in any Customer First Centre, we also have Available Now properties which are updated on a daily basis and can be found on the "Available Now" section of Tyne and Wear Homes.

• Please note, offers of accommodation will not be made if you have an outstanding housing debt, for example, any current of former tenant rent arrears.

• We will keep you informed of the date when you can expect to view and sign for the property, you will receive the keys at the viewing, your tenancy will commence the same day, therefore we recommend that you begin to prepare for your move.

• North Tyneside Council prefer that the rent is paid by direct debit, the Empty Homes Officer will ask you to complete a form at the viewing, please ensure you have your bank details with you.

• The benefits of paying by direct debit are:

  • It takes away the worry of whether your rent has been paid on time or not, especially if your unwell or on holiday.
  • It is easy to set up, just fill in the direct debit form
  • You will be entered into our quarterly prize draw for having a clear rent account.

• Please note, as your tenancy may start mid-week you will be responsible for a percentage of the weekly rent from the day your tenancy starts, however the full rent will be charged from the following Monday.

• Applicants who refuse three reasonable offers of accommodation within a 12 month period will have their application suspended and will not be able to apply for homes owned by North Tyneside Council.  Please consider carefully before refusing this offer of accommodation.

• When terminating your tenancy with North Tyneside Council you are responsible to pay any charges due up until your termination date, all tenancies terminate on a Sunday and keys must be handed in Monday by 12 noon at any Customer First Centre, failure to do so will result in an additional weeks full rent being charged.

• Your tenancy agreement states that upon leaving your home you must ensure that it is clean, clear and in good decorative order, no belongings can left in the property or gardens, as this may result in a recharge invoice being issued to you.

Housing Benefit

• Housing benefit / Housing Cost Contribution (Universal Credit) are welfare benefits that assists people pay their rent. If you are on a low income or unemployed, then you may be eligible for welfare benefit assistance in paying your rent. Please contact the Department for Works and Pensions for more details.

• Where a rent charge is marked with an * (above), it means that this part of the rent is classed as eligible rent and these eligible charges may be covered by housing benefit / Housing Cost Contribution.  For rent charges not marked with an *, it means that these charges are not covered by housing benefit / Housing Cost Contribution.

• It is important to point out that housing benefit / Housing Cost Contribution reduces,  if you are of working age and have more bedrooms in your home than what you need. There is a reduction of up to 14% for one spare bedroom and 25% for two or more spare bedrooms.

For Housing Benefit / Housing Cost Contribution purposes you are entitled to one bedroom for:

• Every adult couple

• Any other adult 16 or over

• Any 2 children (regardless of sex) under the age of 10

• Any 2 children of the same sex

• Any other child (unless they are a foster child or their main home is elsewhere e.g. shared care)

• Non resident carer(s) (where overnight care is required)

  Our Lettings Policy differs from the above criteria and allows choice for applicants. You may therefore have been offered a home, that has more bedrooms than you are entitled to claim housing benefit for.

• Housing benefit is payable from the day you move in.

• If you wish to find out how much housing benefit you may be entitled to, you can do this by speaking to a Benefit Assessor at a customer first centre or by calling the contact centre on 0345 2000 104.

• It is your responsibility to ensure that your claim for housing benefit is made prior to your tenancy starting and is in place to assist you paying your rent. Claims made after your tenancy has started, may not be backdated.

Adapted Properties

• The Council must make best use of its housing stock and where a home is designed or adapted for a disabled person and there is no longer a need by anyone in the household requiring the adaptations, the council may consider taking possession of the home and the remaining occupants will be supported to move to alternative accommodation.

Right to Buy

• If you have been offered a bungalow, the Right to Buy does not arise due to the dwelling-house being classed as older person accommodation or because it may have features which are substantially different from those of ordinary dwelling-houses and therefore may have been designed to make it suitable for occupation by physically disabled persons.