Assessment of applications

The Council will assess your application and you will be placed in one of the 3 new registers as described below or you may be issued with a Priority Card. For more information on the banding scheme, see a copy of the North Norfolk District Council Housing Allocations Scheme, which is available from here or request a copy from the Housing Options Team.

Housing Register

Only applicants that have a level of housing need that meets one of the Government’s reasonable preference criteria will generally be eligible to join the Housing Register.

This register will include only those applicants in the very highest levels of housing need who will be given overall preference for social and affordable rented properties. Applicants on the Housing Register can also be considered for housing on exception housing schemes, low cost ownership products and privately rented accommodation.

The housing register will incorporate three bands being Priority Band, Band 1 and Band 2.

Priority Band (PC)

The Priority Band will be valid for 6 weeks. If after 6 weeks the applicant has not successfully bid for a property, their use of the Priority Band will be reviewed, the Priority Band will then either be removed or the period it can be used for extended.

Housing Register Band 1 (1) – Reasonable Preference Criteria

• Applicants accepted by North Norfolk District Council as homeless within the meaning of Part 7 of the 1996 Housing Act
• Applicants occupying insanitary or otherwise living in unsatisfactory housing conditions
• Applicants occupying a property lacking more than one bedroom of their assessed need.
• Applicants who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability (The Council will require there to be substantial evidence to demonstrate that an applicant meets one of the reasonable preference criteria and would expect that in most cases there would be verification and support from a statutory agency).
• Applicants who need to move to a particular locality in the North Norfolk District Council Ares, where failure to meet that need would cause hardship to themselves or others.

Housing Register Band 2 (2)

• Applicants who are homeless (other than those accepted as homeless by North Norfolk District Council) within the meaning of Part 7 of the 1996 Housing Act including people owed a duty by any housing authority or who are occupying accommodation secured by any housing authority under part 7 of the 1996 Housing Act
• Applicants occupying properties lacking one bedroom of their assessed need.

Housing Options Register (HO)

The Housing Options Register will include applicants in lower levels of housing need who can be considered for any social and affordable rent properties not required for those applicants on the Housing Register and housing on exception schemes.

Applicants on the Housing Options Register will not be placed in Bands.

Transfer Register (T)

The Transfer Register will include all tenants in social or affordable rented properties in the North Norfolk District who want to transfer (other than those who are eligible to join the Housing Register due to their high level of housing need). Transferring tenants will be given preference for up to 20% of advertised properties but otherwise tenants can be considered for any social and affordable rent properties not required for those applicants on the Housing Register, housing on exception housing schemes, low cost home ownership products and privately rented accommodation.

If you feel that you have been placed in the wrong register you can appeal against this decision (see Appeals).