Affordable housing

Affordable housing includes social rented and intermediate housing, provided to eligible households who can't afford to buy or privately rent their own home.

Affordable housing should:

• Have a rent level that is low enough for people on low incomes to afford and reflects rent levels in the area
• Remain affordable for all future eligible households.

Types of affordable housing

Social rented

Rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and housing associations (now called registered providers or RPs). The rent levels are controlled through the national rent regime.

Affordable rented

Rented housing owned and managed by Registered Social Landlords (RSLs).

Rents are charged at no more than 80% of the rents charged by private landlords for similar properties in any particular area.

New properties should meet the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) standards for space  – so these homes will be well designed and energy efficient.

Intermediate rented

These properties are very similar to affordable rented ones. Again, these properties will be passed to a housing association who will rent them out.  The rent will be higher than those offered as socially rented properties but lower than privately rented properties.

The rent charged is normally 20% to 30% lower than a similar privately rented home in a similar area, but these properties come with the assurance that the property has been built to Homes and Communities Agency space and size standards and is managed and let by a Registered Social Landlord.

All three types of rented properties are advertised through the Council's Choice Based Lettings Scheme