Homes Plus has social and affordable homes to rent in Staffordshire and Shropshire.
You can find out more about how to rent one of our homes by clicking the area tabs below.
If you had an active housing application with South Staffordshire Housing Association, Severnside Housing or Stafford and Rural Homes, this remains active. To continue applying for our homes, please click the relevant area tab below and login to your existing account.
The first step towards moving into a home rented in Shropshire is to register with Shropshire Homepoint. Anyone can register – just fill in the online application form, or call 0300 303 8595, and you are on your way.
The first step towards moving into a home rented in South Staffordshire is to register with My Homefinder. The information on the application form will help us to assess whether you are eligible to join our waiting list, in the correct band for your housing needs: Gold, Silver or Bronze.
Take a look through the weekly advertisements listing all our available homes to see the weekly rent for each home and what it has to offer, including the number of bedrooms and whether it has a garden.
If you see a home that’s perfect for you, you can make an expression of interest online. If you don’t hear from us by the second week of the advert cycle closing, it is unlikely that your expression of interest has been successful. Remember, though, that new properties are listed almost every week, so keep trying.
The successful applicant will be the person who is in the highest band and who has been on the waiting list the longest. We will get in touch to invite you to view the property, meeting you there to show you around.
If you decide to accept the property, you will be sent a formal offer letter and we will let you know how soon you can sign the tenancy and receive the keys to your new home.
The first step towards moving into a home rented in Stafford is to register with My Homes Plus. The information on the application form will help us to assess whether you are eligible to join our waiting list, in the correct band for your housing needs: Band A, B, C or D.
Take a look through the weekly advertisements listing all our available homes to see the weekly rent for each home and what it has to offer, including the number of bedrooms and whether it has a garden.
If you see a home that’s perfect for you, you can make an expression of interest online. If you don’t hear from us by the second week of the advert cycle closing, it is unlikely that your expression of interest has been successful. Remember, though, that new properties are listed almost every week, so keep trying.
The successful applicant will be the person who is in the highest band and who has been on the waiting list the longest. We will get in touch to invite you to view the property, meeting you there to show you around.
If you decide to accept the property, and subject to verification checks, you will be sent a formal offer letter and we will let you know how soon you can sign the tenancy and receive the keys to your new home.
After Thursday 1 April 2021, we will be accepting nominations for 75% of our properties in Telford & Wrekin from Telford & Wrekin Council. Therefore, if you are homeless or due to be homeless in the next 56 days, please contact Telford & Wrekin Housing Options Team on 01952 381925.
The remaining 25% of our properties will be advertised on Telford Homefinder. Visit the Telford HomeFinder website here for details on how to register and apply.
Please note: Homes Direct closed on 31 March 2021.
We are taking a new approach to when we advertise our general needs homes. Previously, our available homes were advertised upon receiving a termination form from a customer. Now we will advertise our available homes after they become empty, have been inspected and handed over to our repairs teams who will make sure they meet our Quality Homes Standard. We hope this will help to reduce wait times for customers.
How do I look for a home?
Before you can begin expressing interest in our homes, you will need to register on one or more of the application website(s) detailed in the tabs above. The website(s) that you need to register an account for will depend on the area in which you are interested in living. Please see the tabs above for further details.
Once your registration has been accepted, you will be able to browse available homes in that area.
Am I eligible for one of your homes?
Our homes have clear eligibility criteria which will be made clear on our adverts. Applicants can only apply for a property if they meet the eligibility criteria laid out below.
Bungalows with one bedroom
- Occupancy – single person or couple where at least one applicant has a high medical /support need or is over 55 years of age and the allocation of a bungalow is the only way that the applicant’s housing need can be met.
- Disability – yes.
Bungalows with two bedrooms
- Occupancy – single person or couple where at least one applicant has a high medical /support need or is over 55 years of age and the allocation of a bungalow is the only way that the applicant’s housing need can be met.
- Disability – yes.
- Additional information – maximum 2 children (children of the same sex under the age of 16 or any two children regardless of sex under the age of 10) or 1 carer.
Bungalows with three bedrooms
- Occupancy – single person or couple where at least one applicant has a high medical /support need or is over 55 years of age and the allocation of a bungalow is the only way that the applicant’s housing need can be met.
- Disability – yes.
- Additional information – maximum 4 children (children of the same sex under the age of 16 share a room or any two children regardless of sex under the age of 10 share a room) or 1 carer.
Houses with one bedroom
- Occupancy – single/couple.
- Disability – generally no – only in exceptional circumstances.
Houses with two bedrooms
- Occupancy – single/couple with minimum 1 dependent child or carer.
- Disability – generally no – only in exceptional circumstances.
- Additional information – maximum 2 children (children of the same sex under the age of 16 or any two children regardless of sex under the age of 10) or 1 carer.
Houses with three bedrooms
- Occupancy – single/couple with minimum 2 dependent children or carers.
- Disability – generally no – only in exceptional circumstances.
- Additional information – maximum 4 children (children of the same sex under the age of 16 share a room or any two children regardless of sex under the age of 10 share a room) or 1 carer.
Houses with four bedrooms
- Occupancy – single/couple with minimum 3 dependent children or carers.
- Disability – generally no – only in exceptional circumstances.
- Additional information – maximum 6 children (children of the same sex under the age of 16 share a room or any two children regardless of sex under the age of 10 share a room) or 1 carer.
First floor or above flats with one bedroom
- Occupancy – single/couple.
- Disability – generally no – only in exceptional circumstances.
First floor or above flats with two bedrooms
- Occupancy – single/couple + 1 dependent.
- Disability – generally no – only in exceptional circumstances.
- Additional information – maximum 1 dependent at allocation.
Ground floor flats with one bedroom
- Occupancy – single/couple.
- Disability – yes.
- Additional information – yes if adapted.
Ground floor flats with two bedrooms
- Occupancy – single/couple + 1 dependent.
- Disability – yes.
- Additional information – maximum 1 dependent at allocation.
Definition of carer: where the applicant has a carer who must stay overnight in order to provide the relevant care for no less than three nights a week (evidence will be required).
When would my rent be payable?
Your tenancy agreement sets out when you should pay your rent. This is usually every week or every month. Your rent is paid in arrears. This means that your last rent payment will be due at the end of your tenancy. Rent in advance is payable regardless of your income.
Why do we ask for rent in advance?
Paying your rent in advance reduces the possibility of rent debt and gives you the peace of mind that your home is secure.
As a social landlord it is important that we help all our customers to avoid rent debt. We want to provide support including debt advice and help into work. We want to meet the growing need for affordable housing and keep investing in home improvements. Most of all we want to provide people and families with secure homes.
Can I get help to pay rent in advance?
If you can’t afford to pay rent in advance you might be able to apply for a budgeting loan. To qualify for a budgeting loan, you or your partner must have been receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least 26 weeks.
You can apply for a budgeting loan at your local Jobcentre Plus. You can also apply online or download a claim form here.
Budgeting advances are available to people claiming Universal Credit.
If you already claim Housing Benefit or Universal Credit in your current home, you can ask your council for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) towards your rent in advance payment.
To find out more, please visit your local council’s website:
What type of tenancy will I sign?
If you are a new customer and began your tenancy on – or after – 4 December 2017 you will be given a six-year fixed-term tenancy agreement. You will be required to complete a 12-month probationary period to the satisfaction of the association. As long as there haven’t been any problems with the tenancy at the end of the 12-month probationary period, your tenancy will continue for a further five years.
At the end of the six-year fixed-term tenancy agreement, your tenancy may be renewed, as long as there have been no tenancy breaches or significant changes in your circumstances.
Throughout the term of the tenancy and in the final year of the agreement, we will review the conduct of the tenancy as well as household circumstances, to help us understand whether a particular property is still suitable for you.
If you become a Homes Plus tenant and have an existing assured tenancy agreement, your tenancy type will not change and the rights under your existing agreement will remain.
To find out more, please see our handy leaflet in the documents area.