Welcome to South Oxfordshire Choice Based Lettings

Prioritising Housing For Rent Applications

All housing and transfer applications received for rented accommodation will be assessed and placed in one of 5 priority bands, A* to D. 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 Category

Band A-star
Emergency 

1) Immediate risk to health from housing situation
2) Statutory overcrowding
3) Decants (transfers from property to be cleared or renovated)
4) Exceptional community safety need
5) Exceptional complex/multiple needs

Band A
Urgent 

1)  Verified as Priority Homeless
2) .Urgent health needs
3). Move on from supported accommodation
4) .Management transfers
5)  Leaving institutional care
6)  More than one bedroom short of family’s needs
7)  Under-occupation of Oxfordshire Homechoice partnership home by more than one bedroom
8)  Poor property condition (Category 1 Housing Health and Safety Hazard rating)
9)  Lacking a bathroom or kitchen
10) Succession where tenant will move to a smaller home
11) Three or more criteria from Band B (categories 2 to 8 only)

Band B
High Priority 

1)  Verified as Homeless but not in priority need
2)  High priority health needs
3)  High priority social needs (incl. need to give or receive care/support)
4)  Sharing kitchen and/or bathroom, not with family
5)  Under-occupation of Oxfordshire Homechoice partnership home by one bedroom
6)  One bedroom short of the family’s needs
7)  Notice received on AST or other type of tenancy
8)  Armed forces with previous local connection and discharge date within 12 months
9)  Two or more criteria from Band C

Band C
Medium Priority 

1)  Medium priority health needs
2)  Medium priority social needs
3)  Sharing facilities with family (families only)
4)  Lacking a garden (families with children aged up to 13)
5)  Separated parents without ability to accommodate children
6)  Assured Shorthold Tenancy or other insecure accommodation

Band D
Low Priority 

1)  Those whose incomes are sufficient for them to afford home ownership/shared ownership in the local market
2)  Owner occupiers whose homes are suitable for their needs or who could sell their current property and resolve their housing need
3)  People who have a legal or financial interest in a property which they could use or sell to resolve their housing need
4)  Adequately housed at existing address.
5) Temporary banding for applicants who have not yet provided the supporting evidence, which has been requested.
Please note: those who fit the definitions for Priority Band D, 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 be considered before those living or working elsewhere. Applicants will then be placed in date order, with the application with the oldest date having the highest priority. The date is the date your application was registered with us.
Please not that for selected vacancies there will be no priority given to local connection (scheme to start in 2009).

Moving between bands

If your circumstances change and you move up a band the date used will stay the same.
Time Limits in Bands A and B
Applicants placed in Band A or Band B 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, your application may be given ‘additional preference’ and moved to a higher band.

Local Connection

To qualify as having a local connection you must:

 Live in South Oxfordshire for at least six months
 Have regular and permanent employment in the district for at least six months
 Have a need to give or receive support from a close relative who lives in the district.

There are additional rules that apply to some village housing schemes. Nominations can only go to those who have a connection to the village or an adjoining parish area. For full information see the Housing Allocations Policy.

Financial Assessment

If you have the financial means to purchase a property suitable for your needs or to put right problems with your current home you will normally be placed in Band D. You may, however, qualify for shared ownership properties. For more information about  Shared Ownership click here www.homebuy.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 no additional priority will be given.

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