Return to Index
Please note this page is being updated with information on the Highland Housing Register
Applying for Council Housing
The Council has just under 15,000 houses and flatted properties which include around 550 units of ‘sheltered’ housing. Sheltered housing is designed for and is normally allocated to applicants who require the services of a warden. They are normally older people, however there are no age restrictions. It may be suitable accommodation for applicants with disabilities. Sheltered Housing is linked through a 'Help-call' system to either a warden or a resource centre to provide emergency cover 24 hours a day.
In common with other local authorities, the Council cannot afford to build any more Council housing and has no plans to do so. Moreover, the Council's general needs housing stock is being reduced by over 600 properties a year which are sold to sitting tenants under the Right to Buy scheme and over 12,000 have already been sold under this scheme since 1981. The Council, however, still owns and manages around a quarter of all the housing stock in its area and remains the biggest local provider of social rented housing. Its stock is well distributed throughout the Highlands but there are concentrations in the larger towns and settlements such as Inverness, Fort William, Alness, Nairn and Wick.
Where does the Council have Houses?
Badenoch and Strathspey - the stock is spread throughout but most of the Council housing is provided in Aviemore, Grantown on Spey and Kingussie.
Caithness - the stock is spread throughout the settlements but the majority of the Council housing is provided in Wick, Thurso, Castletown and Lybster.
Inverness - the stock is mostly concentrated in Inverness, although there is some spread throughout smaller communities such as Ardersier, Beauly, Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus and Foyers.
Lochaber - the stock is spread throughout the smaller communities but the most of the Council housing is located in Fort William, Caol and Kinlochleven.
Nairn - the stock is mostly concentrated in Nairn town with some in the rural areas.
Ross and Cromarty - the stock is spread throughout Easter and Wester Ross but most of the Council housing is provided in Alness, Dingwall, Invergordon and Tain. In the West, most of the Council stock is in Ullapool.
Skye and Lochalsh - the stock is spread over the island and throughout the settlements but most of the Council housing is provided in Portree and Kyle.
Sutherland - the stock is spread throughout the settlements in the East and West but the most of the Council housing is provided in Brora, Golspie and Dornoch.
At the end of March 2005, the following number of households were applying for housing in each area.
Number of Live Applications at end March 2006
Badenoch & Strathspey - 58 households on transfer list, 487 households on waiting list - total 545 households
Caithness - 208 households on transfer list, 505 on waiting list - total 713 households
Inverness - 735 households on transfer list, 3014 on waiting list - total 3749 households
Lochaber - 177 households on transfer list, 1135 on waiting list - total 1312 households
Nairn - 55 households on transfer list, 387 on waiting list - total 442 households
Ross & Cromarty - 519 households on transfer list, 1714 households on waiting list, total 2233 households
Skye & Lochalsh - 47 households on transfer list, 523 households on waiting list, total 570 householdsl
Sutherland - 71 households on transfer list, 384 households on waiting list, total 455 households
In total, there are 1870 households on the transfer list and 8149 households on the waiting list for a total of 10,019 households.
See Appendix D for a breakdown of the number of properties in each community town or village, and Appendix C for the number of properties that become available to allocate and the number of applicants applying for housing in each of the lettings areas.
Applicants are able to apply for housing in all of the eight areas within the Highland area. They then must indicate their 3 'preferred' lettings area choices in each of the areas. When allocating a property priority is given to applicants who have chosen the lettings area as a preference and have a reason for living in that lettings area.
Reasons given may be because they are currently living in the area or wish to move to enable them to take up employment or be closer to the place of work. Alternatively they may wish to move to be nearer to the GP or hospital, or closer to family support. There may also be other reasons for moving to another area. These reasons should be included in the application form and will be considered by the Council.
Where are the Lettings Areas?
The streets or communities included in each lettings area are shown in Appendix B along with a map showing roughly where they are. An applicant's chance of being offered a Council property is influenced by how often a vacancy occurs in any one of the applicant's choices of letting area, as well as the number of points the application has been awarded and what position this places it in comparison with other applications which have also chosen that letting area. There are differing demands for housing. In some areas there are lengthy waiting lists with few properties being allocated and in other areas the waiting lists are much smaller and houses become available more frequently. The Council’s Accommodation Officers are able to provide some indication of the length of time it may take to get housed in different areas.
Who can apply for Council Housing in Highland?
- Anyone who is aged 16 years or over, including current tenants of housing associations
- Existing Council tenants may apply for a transfer to another Council house. In some circumstances they may not be offered a transfer, e.g. if there are rent arrears and they have not maintained an agreement to pay, for at least three months.
- Existing tenants of local housing association properties in the Council area may apply for a mutual exchange to a Council house - the Council will not unreasonably refuse permission for a mutual exchange of your house.
How do I apply for Council Housing?
Anyone who wishes to become a Council house tenant must first complete a housing application form. The form can be obtained by writing to, phoning or visiting the Area Housing Office or local Service Point. Completed housing application forms can be returned to any one of these Area Housing Offices or Service Points. All applicants are also given a Guidance Note to help then fill in the application form. However, if they prefer guidance or help from a member of staff, they should contact the Area Housing Office or local Service Point where assistance can be given.
A leaflet summarising the Council’s application system, allocations policy and points system is also available from all Council Offices and Service Points. A more detailed description of the Council's system is also available from the Council, although the information and advice given is described below in an amended form.
Applicants should be sure that they give full details of their circumstances as this will affect the points their application gets. It is also important applicants advise Housing Services of any changes to their situation as this may also affect their points level.
Back to Top
The Council's Housing Allocation Policy and Points System
The Council decides the policy to be used in allocating properties and it is the
responsibility of the Area Housing Service to implement this policy and allocate Council housing.
Within each Area selected, an applicant must indicate which lettings areas they wish to be considered for. There is no limit to the number of lettings areas for which an applicant may be considered, but an applicant should indicate their first, second and third preferences.
A points system is used to decide which applicant on the waiting list should be offered the tenancy of any property which becomes vacant. The more points an applicant has, the greater their chance of being offered a Council house. Although it must be considered that however near the top of the waiting list an applicant is at a particular moment in time, other applicants may subsequently receive a higher number of points and therefore may be housed before them.
The Area Housing Committee decides on the ratio of allocations made to Waiting List and Transfer List applicants. This may vary slightly from area to area but generally it is in the region of 30% of vacancies allocated to transfer list applicants and 70% of vacancies allocated to waiting list applicants. The ratio of allocations to each group may vary from letting area to letting area depending on:
- the number of vacancies arising and
- the number of applicants from each group on the Housing List.
Allocations will normally be made to the applicants with the highest number of points for particular vacancies. Where the applicant has an indicated preference for housing in the lettings area in question and where the applicant has a need to reside in that lettings area by virtue of current residence, employment, medical, support or other reasons.
Only if there is an equality of points for the same property, will the time an applicant has been waiting be taken into account.
In allocating any vacancy, the Area Housing Service will ‘match’ applicants preferences to the attributes of the property to be allocated. Therefore, applicants who have indicated that certain house types/heating types etc. are not acceptable to them may not be considered for vacancies with these attributes. The Council does not limit the size of properties that applicants may apply for. However, when properties are being allocated, the Council gives preference to those applicants with a housing need for that particular size of property. Allocations will normally not be carried out which would result in the applicant under-occupying a property by more than one room. Nor will allocations will normally be carried out which would result in an applicant being overcrowded.
Why is it important to provide full and up to date information in the
Application Form?
It is very important for applicants to provide accurate information when filling in the application form. If an applicant is not sure whether a piece of information about their circumstances is important then the Council's housing staff would be happy to provide advice. In any case, it is better to include too much information on the application form than too little and then risk losing valuable points as a result. It is important for the form to reflect the applicant’s circumstances, some of which may be of a personal nature, but all applicants are assured of confidentiality.
Moreover, if applicants remember something they forgot to put on the form after they have submitted it, or if their circumstances change as time goes by, they should let the Council's housing staff know in writing as soon as possible. In this way, their application form can be amended and the points total adjusted accordingly.
What happens once the Council receives the Application?
The Council's housing staff will go through the form carefully, and then points are awarded through the computerised allocations system according to each aspect of housing need (see below for further details).
A letter is sent to each applicant acknowledging this application and notifying them of their unique application reference number. This reference number should be kept safe. It helps to quickly find the applicant’s details on the computer system if they have any questions. The letter also details the points which have been awarded, together with the lettings areas that the applicant has requested and those that have been chosen as preferences.
Applicants can request details of their points levels from the Council at any time. It should be remembered that each applicant’s place on the list may move up and down depending on the points awarded to other applicants and other applicants going on or coming off the list.
Could someone come to my home and help me fill in the form?
In certain circumstances, where an applicant requires the assistance of a housing officer to complete a housing application form and it is not feasible for the applicant to get through to a Housing office or service point. A Council officer can undertake a home visit where appropriate.
How many houses will I be offered?
An applicant will normally be made a maximum of two offers. The second offer is only made after refusal of the first. If two offers are refused in a one year period, and the refusals are considered unreasonable, the Council may not make another offer for at least twelve months after the date of the applicant's final refusal. Waiting time points are not added to the application during this period of deferral. An offer will normally be considered reasonable if it is situated in a Lettings Area deemed acceptable by the applicant and otherwise meets the applicant’s stated housing need as detailed on the Application form. A refusal of an offer from another Housing Provider under the Nominations process counts as a reasonable offer, providing that the applicant has indicated their willingness to be considered for such nominations.
If an applicant is in receipt of actual homeless points, a reasonable offer is interpreted as one which meets the applicant’s housing needs, taking into account the advice provided in the Scottish Executive’s Code of Guidance on Homelessness and the general availability of housing in the Area, and may not necessarily be restricted to those Lettings Areas deemed acceptable by the applicant.
How long will my application be held on the Waiting List and Transfer List?
Applications are only held on the waiting list for one year unless the applicant completes and returns a re-registration letter sent out by the Council. This is sent out to each applicant annually. This letter confirms that he/she wishes to remain on the waiting list. A reminder is sent by the Council after three weeks but if no reply is received soon thereafter, their application will be removed from the Housing List.
Should I notify the Council of changes of address, or other circumstances?
It is very important that applicants tell the Council if they change address after they have submitted their application form. If not, there is a danger that letters from the Council may never be received by the applicant, and their name will be removed from the list if no contact is made with the Council's housing staff. It is in the applicant's best interest to maintain regular contact with housing staff and notify them as soon as possible of any changes in their circumstances. If an applicant dies the Council should be told immediately. The application is then automatically transferred to the surviving partner residing with the applicant. Where there is no surviving partner, the application can be transferred to any other person named in the application who has been resident with the applicant for a minimum period of six months, providing that person is over 16 years of age.
Where false or misleading information is knowingly provided by the applicant, the application is cancelled. If a tenancy is granted on the basis of false or misleading information, it may be recovered by the Council.
Definitions
Overcrowding
An applicant with more people living in the house than defined by the Council's standards qualifies for overcrowding points. Under the Council's standards separate bedrooms are required for:
- husband/wife or similar partnerships
- each person aged 16 years or over
- children aged 6 years or over of different sex from other children of any age
- no more than two persons of any age should occupy one bedroom
- children of the same sex where there is an age difference of 4 years or more between the elder and the younger child
Points to note:
To enable the Council’s computerised allocations system to calculate how many bedrooms a household needs, it is important to tell us:
- if the applicant's existing household is expected to get bigger or smaller (for example, where a household member does not intend to move to the new house with the rest of the household. Two households who previously had to live apart now many want to live together in the new house as one household),
- if children from a previous relationship will be staying in the house regularly and this causes overcrowding (parental access rights will need to be confirmed by the court, a solicitor or other appropriate professional such as a social worker).
For each bedroom lacking, 30 points are awarded, up to a maximum of 120 points. Where there is occasional overcrowding as a result of access to children, 15 points will be awarded.
Where a bedroom is insufficient in size to allow two persons to share, an applicant can ask to be visited to assess their need for additional overcrowding points. In cases where an additional bedroom need arises from pregnancy, overcrowding points will be added to the application from the date of confirmation of the pregnancy.
Points awarded for overcrowding are related to the actual number of bedrooms needed by the applicant. In other words, they are only awarded if an applicant is applying for a bigger property. An allocation won't normally be made where this will cause an overcrowding situation.
Under Occupation
Using the same guidelines as described for overcrowding, points are awarded where applicants occupy houses larger than their requirements, e.g. where there are spare bedrooms.
- For Transfer List applicants - each bedroom surplus to requirements 25 points are awarded.
- For Waiting List applicants - 5 points per bedroom surplus will be awarded.
Higher points are awarded to Transfer List applicants to allow the Council to effectively manage their housing stock.
Points awarded for under-occupancy are related to the actual number of bedrooms needed by the applicant. In other words, they are only awarded if an applicant is applying for a smaller property.
Poor housing conditions
Where applicants are occupying housing which is Below the Tolerable Standard, 10 points will be awarded for each of the standards failed as listed below. The maximum points awarded will be 100 points.
Points will be awarded where the property:
- is not structurally stable
- is not substantially free from rising or penetrating damp
- does not have satisfactory lighting
- does not have an adequate supply of piped wholesome water available within the house
- does not have a sink with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water within the house
- does not have a toilet within the house for the exclusive use of the occupants
- does not have an effective system for the drainage and disposal of foul and surface water
- does not have satisfactory facilities for the cooking of food
- does not have a fixed bath or shower with a hot and cold water supply
- does not have a wash hand basin with a hot and cold water supply
These points will normally only be awarded after an inspection has been carried out. Poor housing condition points may be awarded as appropriate to applicants occupying caravans after an inspection. However, the above standards regarding structural stability and drainage will be considered in relation to what is reasonable for a caravan.
In some cases an applicant will reside in a property that is in adequate condition, however they may lack access to certain facilities. Where this applies the applicant should be awarded lacking points as above. For example, an applicant in a Bed and Breakfast lacking access to cooking facilities will be awarded 10 points except where the applicant has been assessed as unintentionally homeless and in priority need.
Shared amenities
Where an applicant shares amenities with other people who are not to be housed with the applicant and his/her family, points will be awarded for the amenities which are shared with that household.
Homelessness/Insecurity of Tenure
Insecure Tenure - Applicants get extra points if they live in insecure accommodation. The Council’s definition of insecure accommodation includes lodging arrangements, living with parents, short assured tenancies, tied tenancies, HMF tenancies and rural lease properties. The Area Housing Manager can also decide whether an applicant’s accommodation is insecure and award points
Potentially Homelessness - These points are awarded where an applicant is likely to become homeless within 2 months and qualifies under the provisions of Part I of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (see Section 0.1a)
Actual Homelessness - Applicants who become homeless and the Council’s decision on their homelessness application accepts that the applicant is homeless, in priority need and unintentionally homeless under the terms of Part I of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 are awarded points for homelessness (see Section 01.a). So that housing can be found as quickly as possible, applicants in receipt of Homelessness points are not allowed to unreasonably restrict the number of lettings areas they choose on the allocation form.
Time Spent in Temporary Accommodation - Where an applicant is entitled to actual homelessness points and is placed in temporary accommodation by the Council, the applicant will be awarded 4 points for each calendar month spent in the temporary accommodation.
Medical Need
If the applicant has health reasons for needing re-housing then these should be put down on the application form. He/she may be asked to complete a Medical Priority Assessment Form.
A leaflet about medical needs assessments is available from the Council. It describes the process, timescales and arrangements for review/appeals on medical points awarded. The award of medical assessment points takes into account how much the existing housing circumstances of the applicant adversely affect the applicant’s health. Points are awarded on a scale of 15 – 100. Where the Medical assessment indicates the type of housing which is needed by the applicant, e.g. ground floor, the medical points will only apply to properties which meet any stated needs
Applicants in Leased Properties
Applicants who live in a property leased by the Council under the Council’s Leasing Scheme will be awarded 100 potentially homeless points to recognise the impending loss of their accommodation. These points will normally be added to the applicant’s points total no earlier than six months prior to the expiry of the Council’s lease
Community Care
Applicants are awarded points if any of the following circumstances apply:
- Where residential care/hospital is no longer appropriate
- Where supported accommodation is no longer appropriate
- Where there is a need to move to accommodate a carer
- Where there is a need to move to provide care to a relative
- To comply with a Community Care Order
These circumstances are confirmed by the appropriate professionals such as a Social Worker, Care Manager, Care Provider, Community Psychiatric Nurse, General Practitioner, Doctor or Consultant.
Waiting Time
All applicants are awarded 10 points when they are first registered onto the Housing List. 2 waiting time points are then awarded every six months for the first three years on the Housing List. Thereafter, 4 points are awarded every year up to a maximum of ten years. (maximum 50 points, including the initial 10 'time points'')
Exceptional Circumstances
Where there are exceptional circumstances which cannot be recognised by the award of points under any of the above categories, exceptional circumstances points can be awarded at the discretion of the Area Housing Manager. The Area Housing Manager will confirm the particular circumstances of each case with any appropriate agency (e.g. police, social work) before the points are awarded.
Exceptional circumstances points are normally only made for one offer of housing. This is because these points are intended to deal with extremely urgent and/or exceptional circumstances.
Back to Top