Apply to join the housing register

You need to join the housing register before you can view and apply to move into available council or housing association properties.

Who can apply

You can apply to join the housing register if you:

  • have a right to live in the UK
  • are aged 18 years or over
  • have a housing need listed in our allocations policy
  • have lived in the city for 5 years or longer

There are some exceptions to these rules. You can find full information on who can apply in our allocations policy.

How to apply

You can apply to join the housing register online.

We work with housing associations across the city to make a combined housing register, so you only need to make one application.

We may contact you for extra information after you've sent your application. We can't accept your application until we've received all the information we ask for.

If you need help with your application or can't apply online, contact us by:

Change of circumstances

If you’re already on the housing register and want to make a change to your details or an application you’ve made, you can log in to the homemove applicant portal.

Find useful information on How to report a change of circumstances.

Priority bands

We'll review your application and give you a priority band based on your housing need. 

For example, you're likely to have higher housing need if you:

  • live somewhere that has a serious effect on the health of anyone in your household
  • are in an overcrowded household and lack separate bedrooms
  • have severe damage in your home that can't be fixed by your landlord quickly

You can find full information on types of priority band and how we decide housing need in our allocations policy.

Request a review

You'll get a decision letter from us saying:

  • whether your application has been successful or not
  • the priority band you've been given

If you disagree with our decision or your priority band, you can ask us to review our decision within 21 days of receiving the decision letter.

Make a bid on Homemove

When you've joined the register, we have a choice-based lettings service called Homemove, which gives you the chance to bid for council and housing association properties in the city.