Rehousing need
To be considered for one of our homes on Midland Heart Homes, you’ll need to show that you have a rehousing need and provide the right evidence to support it.
After a property advert closes, we’ll check that you’ve already uploaded the documents needed for that advert – such as ID for everyone in your household, proof of income, NI numbers, and any documents needed for that specific advert’s preference group e.g. proof you have a local connection or meet our working preference criteria.
If everything has been uploaded, you’ll move to the next stage of the shortlisting process: showing evidence of your rehousing need. We’ll request this through your Midland Heart Homes portal. You’ll receive a message asking you to upload your evidence, and you’ll have 24 hours to respond. If we don’t receive the evidence in time, we may have to move on to the next applicant, so it’s important to have your documents ready for when we ask for it.
To make things easier, here’s a guide to the common rehousing needs and the evidence we usually ask for. The list doesn’t include every possible situation but will cover the most common rehousing needs. If your circumstances aren’t listed, please contact us on 0345 60 20 540.
Being homeless
If you have nowhere to live or you’re facing homelessness and have approached your local authority (council) for help, they may have carried out a homelessness assessment.
If you have been awarded a statutory homeless duty, you will have been given a letter to confirm this (usually via email). Please upload this local authority letter as your evidence. This is not the same as a letter showing you’re on the local authority’s housing waiting list.
A homeless letter from your local authority confirming they have given you a statutory homeless duty.
You will be given this after completing your homeless assessment.
Staying with friends or family and can’t stay there long-term/you have been asked to leave
If you’re staying with friends or family and they’ve asked you to leave, but you haven’t been given a homeless duty by the local authority, you can provide evidence to show this.
To do this, you’ll need:
- A signed and dated letter from the person you’re staying with
- It must include their full name, the full address, your name and a clear statement that you can no longer stay there.
- An official letter e.g. a council tax or utility bill, in their name showing the address (to confirm it is their property).
Please note that if this letter is more than 3 months old, you’ll need to get a new one to show the situation is still the same.
- A recent signed and dated letter saying you must leave
- A council tax or utility bill in their name
Ask the person you’re staying with for the letter and a copy of their bill.
Overcrowded
You may be overcrowded if your current home doesn’t have enough bedrooms for everyone in your household. The general rules are:
- Children of the same sex can share a bedroom until the oldest is 16.
- Children of different sexes can share until the oldest is 10.
- If you are 24+ weeks pregnant, you are entitled to an extra bedroom.
- Anyone over 16 must have their own bedroom unless they’re sharing with a partner or spouse.
To evidence you are overcrowded, we need a copy of your tenancy agreement for your current home, in your name, preferably showing how many bedrooms the property has. You will have already told us who is in your household when you uploaded ID documents.
Your tenancy agreement.
You should have received this when your tenancy started. If not, you can ask your landlord for a copy.
Under-occupying
You may be under-occupying if you rent a home that has more bedrooms that your household needs. Moving to a smaller home can help free up the current property for a bigger family to move in. It may also be more cost-effective for you to move somewhere smaller with the right number bedrooms.
To evidence this, we need to see your tenancy agreement, in your name, preferably showing how many bedrooms you have.
Your tenancy agreement.
You should have received this when your tenancy started. If not, you can ask your landlord for a copy.
Being in temporary accommodation
If you’re living in temporary accommodation (including supported housing or a refuge), you have a rehousing need.
To evidence this, please upload your License Agreement or short-term tenancy agreement showing you are in temporary housing. If you don’t have one, a letter from your support worker confirming you live in temporary accommodation is also acceptable.
Your License Agreement or a letter from your support worker.
You should have received this when you moved in. If not, your housing provider or support worker can give you a copy.
Sharing facilities
If you live in a shared property (such as a HMO) where you share a kitchen, bathroom or main living space with people outside family/household, you have a rehousing need.
To show this, please upload your License Agreement or Tenancy Agreement.
Your License Agreement or Tenancy Agreement.
You should have received this when you moved in. If not, you can ask your landlord or housing provider.
Harassment/hate crime/domestic abuse
If you are experiencing a serious threat at your current property and it is not safe for you to stay where you are, you have a rehousing need.
To evidence this, we need official supporting documents, such as:
- A letter from the police, or
- Evidence from another supporting agency, such as a refuge support worker or social worker
Some cases can be complex, so we may need to review the evidence and ask for more information if needed.
Supporting evidence from the police or a relevant supporting agency.
Ask the Police or the agency supporting you e.g. your refuge worker or social worker.
Health/medical reasons
If your current home is unsuitable because of your health or medical needs, and it cannot be adapted to meet those needs, you may have a rehousing need.
To support this, we need medical evidence, ideally from an occupational therapist, confirming:
- Why you need to move, and
- Why your current home is not suitable or adaptable
We may need to review this and request more information, depending on your situation.
Medical evidence, preferably from an occupational therapist.
Ask your occupational therapist, consultant or another medical professional.
