Banding scheme - housing for rent

  

All housing and transfer applications received for rented accommodation will be assessed and placed in one of 5 priority bands, 1 to 5. The table below sets out the banding scheme and gives examples of those applicants who would be eligible to be placed in each band.

For fuller details please click Housing Allocation Policy to download the policy document.

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Band Categories

Band 1

1.1 Exceptional circumstances, where there is an immediate risk to health and safety; complex needs; place of safety cases or other emergency needs

1.2 Council or housing association tenants in the sub-region with two or more bedrooms spare

1.3 Decants and other housing management moves

1.4 Successor tenants who need to move to more suitable property

1.5 A Prohibition or Demolition Notice has been issued by the Environmental Health Department

1.6 Where overcrowding is over the legal limit

Band 2

2.1  Urgent social or welfare needs

2.2 Urgent health or disability needs

2.3 Council or housing association tenants in the sub-region with one bedroom spare

2.4 Applicants assessed as ready to move on from supported accommodation

2.5 Applicants who are homeless, in a priority group and where a duty to offer housing exists

2.6 Families assessed as being two or more bedrooms short of their needs

2.7 Applicants with two or more compoundable categories in Band 3

Band 3

3.1 Significant social or welfare needs

3.2 Significant health or disability needs

3.3 Applicants living in unsatisfactory housing: level 1

3.4 Families assessed as being one bedroom short of their needs

3.5 Insecure tied accommodation

3.6 Insecure private rented accommodation

3.7 Homeless and not in a priority group*

3.8 Any applicant who qualifies for at least two categories in Band 4

*This category is not compundable

Band 4

4.1 Moderate social or welfare needs

4.2 Moderate health or disability needs

4.3 Applicants living in unsatisfactory housing: level 2

Band 5

5.1 Applicants who are adequately housed

5.2 Applicants who have sufficient income or other financial resources

5.3 Nil Priority (including applicants subject to temporary sanctions)

Please note: those who fit the definitions for Priority Band 5, will not be allocated a higher band even if their housing circumstances match the categories described there.

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Priority within Bands

Within each band applicants with a local connection to the district will normally be considered before those living or working elsewhere. Applicants will then be placed in order by the date of their application, with the application with the oldest date having the highest priority. The date is the date your application was registered with us.
Please note: for selected vacancies  (in the Oxfordshire sub-regional scheme) there will be no priority given to local connection.

Moving between bands

If your circumstances change and you move up a band the date used will stay the same, unless you move into Band 1, when the date will be re-set as the date you were given Band 1 priority.

This will make sure that those with the highest degree of urgency are taken in order.

Time Limits in Bands 1 and 2

Applicants placed in Band 1 or 2 will have their priority kept under review. If applicants in these high priority bands are not bidding their banding may be reviewed and, if necessary, they will be given advice on how to increase their chances of bidding successfully.

Additional Preference

In exceptional cases, where an applicant has a range of needs that when considered together are so severe as to warrant higher priority, the application may be given ‘additional preference’ and moved to a higher band. This will also happen if an applicant has two or more qualifying categories from bands 3 and 4.

Local Connection

• To qualify as having a local connection you must:

• Live in South Oxfordshire at a permanent address

• Have lived in South Oxfordshire for at least six out of the last twelve months or three out of the last five years

• Have regular and permanent employment in the district for at least fifteen hours a week

• Have close relatives living in the district (eg. Parent, child, brother, sister or grand parent)
  

For some housing built in villages, offers can only go to those who have a connection to the village or an adjoining parish. For full information see the Housing Allocations Policy.

Financial Assessment

If you have enough money to buy or rent in the private market or to put right the problems with your existing home, you will normally be placed in Band 5. You may, however, still qualify for shared ownership properties. Look for shared ownership properties in the Oxfordshire section of adverts. For more information about  Shared Ownership click here www.catalysthomebuy.co.uk

Deliberately Worsening of Circumstances

If there is evidence that you have deliberately worsened your circumstances in order to qualify for higher priority under the scheme, then no additional priority will be given.

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