When we’re considering you for one of our homes, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way.
We provide a digital-first experience to make things easier for you. You'll receive links and forms to complete online and sign whenever it suits you.
If we’re able to offer you a property, you’ll be able to see inside your new home before you move in, this will either be an in person viewing, or a ‘virtual viewing’ via a video walk through of the home, showing you each room.
You’ll be able to ask questions and we’ll do our best to give you as much information as possible and talk you through your move.
You’ll have a dedicated Lettings Officer working with you until you move in.
When it’s time to move, we’ll give you instructions on how to collect your keys safely.
Before you can become an SNG resident, there are some steps you'll need to follow, which we’ve explained in more detail below.
A Lettings Officer will get in touch to carry out a pre-tenancy assessment. If you're able to complete part of it online in advance, we'll ask you to do so before the call, and then go over it with you during the conversation.
The assessment helps us understand your housing needs and current circumstances, as well as make sure it’s the right home for you. If you’ve been able to complete the self-assessment form beforehand then it should take around 30 minutes for us to go through it with you. If not, we'll carry out a full assessment which will take about an hour.
Before you complete the assessment you’ll need the following information available:
- Proof of income – your last four weeks of payslips if you get paid weekly, or last two months if you get paid monthly.
- If you’re going to have a joint tenancy or have other people living with you who’ll be contributing financially, they’ll also need to provide payslips.
- Proof of any benefits you receive – this could be paperwork from HMRC, DWP or UK Local Authority.
- National Insurance Number – you should be able to find this on your payslip or P45/P60.
- Bank statements from the last two months.
- Information on anyone who will be living in the property with you, including income details of anyone over 18.
- Proof of identification (I.D.) – photographic ID if you have it. This could be your passport (preferred), full or provisional UK photo driving licence, birth or adoption certificate or National Identity card.
- If you’re not a UK citizen, please bring documents that evidence your existing residency permit and time limit.
- Evidence of all your outgoings, including copies of credit card statements or loan agreements.
- Details of any savings you have and information on any land or property you currently own.
- Details of your housing history over the past five years (landlord’s name, addresses and dates you lived in the properties).
- Contact details of any support workers.
Please read the information on the following web pages as well. This will help you prepare and understand what to expect.
As an SNG resident, here are some things you can expect from us:
- a variety of ways to contact us.
- self-serve options and information so that you can get answers at a time that suits you.
- a variety of ways to pay your rent and service charges.
- a repairs and maintenance service so that you can report any repairs
that are our responsibility. - help and advice in dealing with anti-social behaviour. We’ll be honest with you and let you know what can and can’t be done.
- we’ll give you notice when we’re coming to visit to carry out checks on your home and tenancy.
- we aim to make any contact with us easy and straight forward.
So that we can provide the best service possible to you please make sure you:
- pay your rent and service charges in full and in advance.
- let us know about any changes that may affect your tenancy or your ability to pay your rent on time.
- look after your home and garden and let us know about any repairs we need to do.
- keep your appointments with us (especially for your annual gas safety test).
- take out home contents insurance – if your belongings are damaged in a flood or a fire, it’s your responsibility to replace them.
- make an effort to sort out differences with neighbours. Whilst we don’t tolerate anti-social behaviour or hate crimes, we wouldn’t get involved in minor arguments.
- leave your home in good condition if you end your tenancy, and complete any work that you’re responsible for.
If we are able to offer you a tenancy, this will be your first chance to see inside your new home. This will either be in person or via a YouTube video. You'll learn about useful property information such as heating instructions left in the property ready for when you move in.
If you need an Occupational Therapist to help check the suitability of the property for your needs, we’ll invite them along too.
Some things to remember if we do a viewing at the property:
- If you’re currently seeing an Occupational Therapist, please let them know your viewing date so that they can come along with you.
- We can only have a maximum of two people at the viewing and they both need to be over 16, so unfortunately no children can come.
- Please wear covered footwear and flat shoes.
- Our homes are not furnished and won’t usually have carpets or white goods, so you’ll need to look at getting these.
- Finally, there may be work happening in the property, so you may not be able to see all rooms properly. We’ll be able to tell you what will be done before you move in.
If you decide you want to make the property your home, you’ll need to pay at least a week’s rent in advance (or a month’s rent if you’re going to pay monthly).
You can see your different payment options here. We don’t cover the contents of your home if they’re damaged, broken or stolen, so please think about taking out home contents insurance.
Congratulations on being offered a tenancy with us – we hope you’ll be very happy in your new home.
The next step is for us to let you know when your property is due to be ready and give you a tenancy start date. We’ll send you your paperwork through a service called DocuSign, which is an easy way for you to be able to sign it electronically and return it to us.
Please make sure you read the CORE Privacy Notice [pdf, 167kb] for tenants of new social housing tenancies.
On or just before your tenancy start date you’ll be asked to sign a tenancy agreement. This is a contract between us and you, setting out what you’re responsible for as a tenant, and what we’re responsible for as your landlord.
Tenancy agreements contain a lot of information, which you’ll need to read and understand before signing.
You can read a sample of your tenancy agreement – please make sure you read the one for your tenancy-type in the next section below.
Assured tenancy agreement - This is a ‘lifetime’ tenancy, which usually means you can stay in your property for the rest of your life, so long as you don’t break any rules in your tenancy agreement.
Assured short hold tenancy agreement - If your accommodation is temporary, you’ll be given an assured short hold tenancy.
Before you attend your sign up meeting, you’ll need to complete the online resident induction - you’ll be asked to upload your certificate when you complete your self-assessment form.
- Once on the induction, you’ll need to click ‘register now’ and then enter the access key IND17.
- You’ll then be asked to enter your email address and agree to the data privacy statement.
- Once you’ve done that, enter your first name and surname and click ‘Register’.
- Please make a note of your username and password in case you need them in the future.
- You’ll then be asked to ‘click here now to proceed to the resident induction programme’.
Once you’ve completed and passed the induction, please take a picture of your certificate on your mobile phone or print it out as you will need to bring this with you to your sign up meeting.
If you’re moving in to a newly built home, there are a few extra things you need to be aware of.
Please take a look at our Living in a new development webpage for more details.
When it's nearly time to pick up the keys to your new property, there are just a few things you need to do before you can call it home.
We’ll arrange a date for your new tenancy to start. On, or just before this, you’ll need to have:
- a screenshot for the rent you’ve paid in advance (unless you paid by phone),
- proof you’ve completed our online resident induction (if you’ve already attached this to your self-service assessment, then you don’t need to do it again),
- a stamped receipt, if relevant, for a Housing Benefit claim and Housing Benefit estimate, or Universal Credit claim reference,
- a completed Direct Debit form (if you’re paying your rent that way).
- We don’t cover the contents of your home if they’re damaged, broken or stolen, so please think about taking out home contents insurance.
Please also take a look at: