How does moving work as a social housing tenant?

drwhofan4

Hi, I'm dyslexic and I have a long time medical condition so I'm finding it difficult to understand this stuff, my housing officer is being useless at the moment, he hasn't been responding for the last two or three months.

I'm in my second year of university and I commute 45 minutes each way as I have a 3-bedroom terraced house which belongs to a housing association, its too big for me to deal with and I'm alway out (not through choice, either studying or work).

My sister lives with me and has the same long term medical condition and has special needs. I have a best friend who is a wheelchair user and she's a disabled. After months of searching, I have found the perfect 3-bedroom ground floor maisonette and it's close to my friend and I university within walking distance.

The person who lives in the maisonette wants to swap with me. However, I've checked my successions rights tenancy, I am the only person who is named on the lease. I know they know my sister is living with me but she's also not on the lease.

Before I start the paper work, do I need to inform my social housing about my friend moving in with me, or could I just add her as a third resident? I'm confused to what I need to do here.

durhamjaide2001

what uni are you at and what are you studying at uni?

Holly_Scope

Hi @drwhofan4. It does seem like it would be brilliant if you could get this swap. Especially with your current commute time.

I'm not sure if it's dependant on situation, but from what I can see on the Gov website, they do require you to report a change of circumstances if you're to have a friend move in. I've added a link below to the Gov. website which I hope is helpful:

Housing Benefit: Report a change of circumstances - GOV.UK

If you did want to run it past someone, I think the best person to advise is the housing officer. I'm sorry you've not had much luck with your contact there over the past few months. I'm just wondering if there's somebody else there that you could speak with. Perhaps somebody more senior if this person isn't coming back to you?

Best wishes,

Holly.

WhatThe

drwhofan, you will need permission from your HA for your friend to occupy the new property without them being added to the tenancy.

Your sister could probably be added as a joint tenant if the property succeeded to you and she was living there at that time.