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Housing Associations

What is a Housing Association?

Affordable Housing

Housing Associations are non-profit making, independent bodies which build and manage accommodation and provide support to those in housing need.

In the Wrexham area there are over 1,800 Housing Association properties, managed by a number of different Associations. Unlike the Council, Housing Associations are able to build new properties and so the number of properties they have may increase in the future.

If you became a Housing Association tenant, your tenancy will be very similar to a Council tenancy although your rights will be slightly different. Generally you may remain in the tenancy as long as you like. Rents are affordable and you can claim housing benefit if you have a low income.

Wrexham County Borough Council is able to “nominate” applicants on its own housing waiting list.

What is a “Nomination”?

As well as having over 11,000 properties which we allocate according to our Lettings Policy, we also “nominate” or recommend applicants from our waiting list to become the new tenants of empty Housing Associations properties.

How does it all work?

Housing Associations are required by the Welsh Assembly Government to help us find accommodation for those in need. They must ask us to provide names, i.e. “nominees” for at least 50% of their properties that become empty.

The Associations contact us when they know that a property is becoming empty and they need us to nominate.

Wherever possible we provide them with 2 or 3 “nominees” for each vacancy, selecting applicants who:
- have requested that type, size and location of property
- have indicated on their housing application form that they are interested in being nominated
- have the greatest priority in according to our Lettings Policy.

If you have been selected we will write to inform you that we are passing your details on to the Housing Association and that they will be contacting you soon.

In most cases the Association will arrange to visit you before deciding if you will be offered the property. If you are successful, you will receive an offer of tenancy in writing and will be asked if you wish to accept it.

Applicants who accept the Housing Association offer will have their application removed from the Council’s Housing waiting list.

If you have declared yourself as homeless to Wrexham County Borough Council and we have a legal duty to help you secure accommodation, you will be informed that the offer of tenancy from the Housing Association discharges our duty. This is because we believe that the property is suitable for your needs. You may ask for a review of this decision.

What should you do if you want to be nominated?

If you want us to consider you for a nomination, you should answer yes to the question on page 12 of the Housing Application Form.