Rent a Home

Make immediate contact with the Local Authority in the area where you currently are or where you would like to live. They will be able to provide you with the correct advice and support. Find your Local Authority here.

If you can rent a home, we may have properties that are immediately available in a location of your choice. Visit our Rent a Home page to view all our available homes and follow our social media for updates.

We work closely with Local Authorities via nominations through the choice-based lettings scheme. Once you have a live housing application through the Local Authority you will be able to bid on any properties that are advertised. 

Visit our Help and Support page to see what support is available on Cost of Living, Energy Price Increase, Debt Advice, Money, Benefit and Job Support.

We will always try to make sure that our homes are let to the most appropriate household need.

There may be times that we will restrict who can apply to live there. See the non-exhaustive list below;

• A local lettings plan (LLP) – these are put in place to help us to create a balanced community where people want to live and more importantly, stay
• S106 Development – this is a legal binding document agreed by the Local Authority and the developers
• Age restrictions – some of our homes are restricted to certain age groups for example, Specialist Housing all customers must be 60+ or 55+ and in receipt of DLA/PIP

Your Lettings Officer will carry out an affordability assessment to check that you can afford the home and maintain your tenancy.

The Lettings Team will contact you if you have been successful, depending on how many properties we are managing at that time will depend on how quickly we can contact you.

We strongly advise that when you are bidding for a home you ensure it is an area you would like to live. Please read the advert carefully for any specific criteria e.g. adaptations, parking, floor level etc. Whilst we advise not to visit the property, we do recommend you familiarise yourself with the area.

You will be contacted by a Lettings Officer to confirm that you are still interested in the property and if you are, you will be matched to the home.

You will need to complete a housing application form and provide all the relevant documents to support your application so the Lettings Officer can verify your application.

The list below shows some of the documentation that we may ask to see, note this list is non-exhaustive:

• Current UK/EU/EEA Passport
• Photo driving/provisional licence 
• Birth certificate
• Biometric Residence Permit
• Proof of Child Benefit
• Payslips dated within the last 3 months
• Bank statement dated within the last 3 months
• Benefit entitlement letters dated within the last 3 months
• Universal Credit statements dated within the last 3 months
• Proof of Address within the last 3 months
• Supporting information such as; medical evidence, criminal convictions etc

 It is important that you answer all the questions that are asked by the Lettings Officer when filling in the application form.

There are occasions where you may not be considered for the property, and you will be given the reason why, refer to the Lettings Policy for further information on what checks are carried out during the verification process and a list of some of the reasons you may be withdrawn from a property.

Whilst we do not require any fees or deposit you do need to pay one month’s rent in advance (a degree of discretion may be applied according to individual circumstances).

It is also expected that future rent payments are made via direct debit and a credit of at least one month’s rent is built up over time, regardless of income.  These arrangements will be discussed by the Lettings Officer at the offer stage with payment taken at sign-up; a small amount each week can be added to any Direct Debit arrangements to build up this credit.

Your rent is charged and will need to be paid on the 1st of the month however if your payday or benefits payment day is different to this, we will work with you to build up a credit paid at any frequency to ensure your account will eventually have no arrears.

Once the Lettings Officer has carried out the verification process and confirmed that you are a suitable customer in line with our Lettings Policy, you will be formally offered the home, however there may still be occasions where properties can be withdrawn.

You will be emailed your tenancy agreement to read, and you will need to confirm you agree to the terms and conditions. To do this you will then need to sign electronically and return the agreement to us within 48 hours of receipt, don’t worry this is an automated and simple process. You are required to do this before viewing the property, but don't worry - the agreement won't become legally binding until after you've viewed the property in person and confirmed that you still wish to accept it (read on for more details)

The EPC, gas certificate and electric certificate will be sent to you via email when available, with a decoration voucher if you've been awarded one. 

Once we have received a date from our contractor Platform Property Care to  let us know the home is safe and ready to move into. On occasions we are sometimes given target dates and we will share this with you where possible.

We will not know what work is required until the property is empty and will not leave the property empty for longer than is completely necessary.

During this period, you must not visit for health and safety reasons, our operatives are not allowed to let you in to have a look around.

Once we have received a date from Platform Property Care you will be contacted by an Empty Property Officer to arrange a date and time for viewing. 

During this time the Neighbourhood Officer will contact you either by phone to give you the key safe code to get into the home or they will meet you there.  The Neighbourhood Officer will answer any queries that you may have so please make sure to tell us if your mobile number changes.

You will be asked whether you wish to accept the home and if you do then the Neighbourhood Officer will need to finalise some details with you either face-to-face or over the telephone. If your appointment is via the telephone once the call is finished you are able to keep the keys and start moving in. If you are face to face we will give you the keys during the appointment.

Your tenancy agreement will be signed by a representative from Platform Housing and will be returned to you by email. This then becomes a legally binding document.

If the property has gas central heating then an engineer will need to visit to test the boiler and show you how to use the heating and hot water system. This will be booked in at the same time as arranging your viewing appointment.

Your gas and electric supplier will be British Gas, it is important that you contact them immediately with your metre readings and ensure there is credit on both pre-payment metres before the engineer attends.

Existing customers would not usually be eligible to reapply for any further transfers for a period of 2 years from the date of their last move unless there is an exceptional change in circumstances and/or they meet a reasonable preference criteria on having re-applied to the Local Authority.  

This is a guide to assist anyone looking to mutual exchange, or in the process of a mutual exchange.

Please read the information in these FAQs before completing the application.

A mutual exchange is a home swap between two or more social housing customers. This can occur for a variety of reasons, but often it can be due to needing a smaller or larger home, moving for work or to be closer to family. A mutual exchange is a great alternative for tenants who don’t have a high enough priority or banding to be able to access a home through the normal allocation process.

You will need to be a social housing customer with a secure or assured tenancy to have the right to a mutual exchange. If you have a starter tenancy or a demotion order you will probably not be eligible to swap – if you think this might apply to you, it’s always a good to contact us first to find out what type of tenancy you have and if you are allowed to swap homes before you start looking.

To register your home or search for a mutual exchange please visit www.homeswapper.co.uk 

Homeswapper makes searching for your swap, communicating with the other tenant and arranging viewings simple. Once you have found another tenant who is eligible to swap, lives in the UK and wants to live in your home, you can progress the mutual exchange.

Other ways to find an exchange include: Word of mouth, local shops, local paper or social media.

When you have found an exchange – Please check the following conditions:-

• Ensure you have read and understood the information provided to you on this Mutual Exchange page.
• You must have a clear rent account
• You must have no anti-social behaviour or breaches of tenancy against you or your household
• Your property, including gardens must be in good condition - you must agree to a property inspection
• Visit the property you wish to exchange with, inspecting the condition of the property inside and outside very carefully. Ensure that you check walls, doors or surfaces that are covered and that you are completely satisfied with everything, as properties are taken as seen
• Ensure the exchange does not result in overcrowding or under-occupying by more than one bedroom
• You must be prepared and ready to move, being able to meet the costs of a month’s rent payment, utility check payments, removal costs and be available for appointments.
• Ensure all parties in the exchange complete and submit a Mutual Exchange form - you will also have to do this for all Landlords involved in the exchange.

If all the above requirements have been met, please follow the advice below:

• Platform customers registered with Home Swapper can complete the application for a Mutual Exchange online - please go to the Swap Tracker section in your Home Swapper account to complete your application.
• Platform customers not registered with Home Swapper, please email the Mutual Exchange Team at mutualexchange@platformhg.com  - confirming your full name and your address. We will send you a link to complete your application online.
• If you are not a current customer with Platform Housing Group, please email the Mutual Exchange Team at mutualexchange@platformhg.com - confirming your full name, your address, please include details of the Platform customer you intend to exchange with.  We will send you a link to complete your application online.

• You will receive an automated response when your application has been received.
• Please note that the 42 day legal timeframe is to make a decision on a mutual exchange by either consent or refusal. The 42 days start on the date all parties forms are submitted, so please ensure you are not waiting for anyone you wish to exchange with to submit their forms. The 42nd day is not the exchange date and this can take several weeks after a decision has been made.
• If you have any queries after submission, please refer to the information on this page
• You will be able to monitor the progress of your application by logging onto your Swap Tracker Account.

• You will receive an automated response when your form is submitted
• Please note that the 42 day legal timeframe is to make a decision on a mutual exchange by either consent or refusal. The 42 days start on the date all parties forms are submitted, so please ensure you are not waiting for anyone you wish to exchange with to submit their forms. The 42nd day is not the exchange date and this can take several weeks after a decision has been made.
• If you have any queries after submission, please refer to the information on this page
• Do not contact us unless you wish to provide new information or wish to cancel your application. To do this please email mutualexchange@platformhg.com

Once it is confirmed that your mutual exchange can go ahead, you will receive a consent letter requiring you to pay for gas/oil and electric safety checks at your home. The current cost for these are set out below with payment due within 7 days of a successful decision being confirmed. If no payment is made, the application will be cancelled, and you will need to reapply. Please contact the Platform Hub on 0333 200 7304 to make a payment. 

• Gas check £65.64
• Electrical check £128.00
• Oil check £112.80.

If the person you are looking to exchange with is also a PHG tenant, they will need to pay for the checks at their home too.

These fees are not refundable once the checks have been completed, even if the application is withdrawn or abandoned.

If your application is successful you are required to pay one month’s rent in advance at the point of exchange of tenancy agreements.

If you successfully find someone to exchange with who rents their home from a different landlord you must complete the application process via both landlords.

Where the proposed incoming tenant holds a tenancy with another landlord, we will contact that landlord to obtain a reference. This reference requests details about their rent account, any reports of antisocial behaviour and an overview of the conduct of their tenancy. We will also give a reference about your tenancy to another landlord following your property inspection.

Once your completed application is received, we will acknowledge that we have received it.

There are a number of checks carried out by us before the decision is made for the mutual exchange to go ahead:

• Eligibility – the type of tenancy will be checked to ensure you have the right to mutual exchange, some tenancy agreements do not allow you to exchange.
• Rent Account – your account should be clear of all debt owed to Platform and kept up to date throughout the mutual exchange process
• Breaches of Tenancy – if you have been served any type of legal notice because you have breached your tenancy in any way, until the situation is resolved and/or the notice has expired, permission for a mutual exchange will not be granted. Examples of breaches of tenancy are non-payment of rent, anti-social behaviour, poor condition of property, etc.
• Electrical Check – we will arrange this check before agreeing to the mutual exchange to ensure your property is safe.
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) – this is needed for the mutual exchange to go ahead. We can use one if we have already got one on record, otherwise we will arrange for this to be carried out before the decision is made. There will be no cost to you for this.
• Gas/Oil Check – if your property has a gas supply, we will arrange this check to take place on the start date of the tenancy to ensure the property is safe. We will charge you £65.64 to complete this check at the point of application. During this check our gas engineer will carry out a visual electrical inspection on two key areas: cooker and bathroom (shower) cable exposure.

If you have oil heating, we will arrange for an oil check to be completed on the start of the tenancy to ensure the property is safe. We will charge you £112.80 to complete this check at the point of application.

• Property Inspection – An appointment will be made to inspect your property, including any outside space and boundary fence/hedge. It is advisable for the Incoming customer to be present at the time of inspection, however this is not compulsory and a copy of the inspection form will be sent to all parties to read and sign. On signing you accept full responsibility for any repairs that are the customers’ responsibility. 

There will be items within the home that you own but will want to leave behind. These may be gifted to the new tenant, examples include carpets, sheds, laminate flooring, lighting.

If any items are damaged, you may be asked to repair or remove these prior to exchange being agreed. We will take no responsibility for these items.

It is important you have open discussions with the person you are exchanging with if you notice something that is damaged or you are not willing to accept responsibility for but is being left at the property.

You are reminded to make sure you know which fixtures and fittings belong to Platform Housing and you leave these in their proper place.

If you exchange and then choose to end the tenancy in the future, you will be requested to remove items in line with our vacating standard.

Grounds for refusing an exchange are set out within Schedule 3 of the Housing Act 1985 and Schedule 14 of the Localism Act 2011.

A guide to refusal reasons is set out below-

• There are rent arrears on the account, including any court costs, by either exchange party
• A tenancy condition has been breached, including ASB, property condition, unauthorised alterations
• There is a court order for possession or a suspended possession order on either property
• The landlord has served a notice of seeking possession and the notice is still in force, or possession proceedings have commenced
• The property is larger or smaller than is needed by the proposed exchange 
• The property is adapted for the requirements of disabled persons or there may be an age restriction making the property unsuitable for the persons wishing to move
• The property is tied to employment
• The landlord is made aware that a financial gain has taken place to ensure the acceptance of the exchange. PLEASE NOTE IT IS ILLEGAL TO OFFER OR RECEIVE MONEY TO CARRY OUT A MUTUAL EXCHANGE

We may consider under-occupancy of a maximum of one bedroom, but you may incur under- occupancy charges and we will carry out affordability checks with you.

Find out more information about Benefits here 

You cannot move or make any arrangements for removal until you have written permission from us. The date on your Assignment or Tenancy paperwork is the date you can move and not before. If you do, you will be illegally occupying your home and both parties could lose their homes.

We will not assist with any moving or decorative costs and may refuse to undertake certain repairs other than to fulfil our repair obligations as a Landlord.

If when you view the property you identify any repairs that are required, please discuss this as part of the application process to establish what is our responsibility as the landlord. Some repairs may not be completed and be deemed as the customers responsibility. You can find out more about this here

If the cooker is yours then you can take it.

If you have a gas cooker -you must ensure that you will employ a Gas Safe Registered engineer to remove your gas appliance.

And if it is electrical cooker- you will employ a qualified trade operative (electrician) to remove safely your electrical appliances.

This is an example where a fixture may be Platforms property so you are not allowed to take it with you. If you installed a shower and obtained permission for doing so from us then you can take it. You are advised that you use a qualified trade operative (electrician) to remove it safely and make good.

Before you move out

Before you leave, you need to read your gas, electricity and water meters and provide final readings to your suppliers.

Before you move in

We strongly advise you to find out from the outgoing tenant(s) the name and contact details of their suppliers so that you can notify the companies if you wish to continue receiving their supplies. If there are pre-payment / card meters you should arrange for the supply to be transferred into your name.

If your application is successful you are required to pay one month’s rent in advance at the point of exchange of tenancy agreements. We will require you to pay your rent by Direct Debit.

Even if you do not claim housing benefit now, it may affect you in the future if you wish to make a claim. This applies if you are new to Platform Housing, or an existing tenant exchanging or transferring homes.

Find out more information about Benefits here