Council tenants

Like many other London boroughs, Ealing has a severe shortage of homes. This means that only a small number of people are likely to be assisted by the council. The following schemes are provided as alternative rehousing options for existing council tenants:

Schemes to help you buy your own home:

New Build HomeBuy (previously called shared ownership)
Shared Ownership resales
Intermediate Market Rent
First Time Buyers Initiative
Rent to Homebuy
London Wide Initiative
HomeBuy Direct
How to apply

Schemes to help you move to a new home:
Out of London Scheme
Mutual Exchange  
Choice Based Mobility
Seaside and country homes 
Transfer Incentive Scheme  
Overcrowded households  

 

New Build HomeBuy (previously called shared ownership)
This is a part-buy part-rent scheme. The scheme enables people to buy a share of a newly built property in London. You usually pay a mortgage on the part that you own, and subsidised rent on the part that you don't own. You can buy a further share after buying your home or buy the home outright. Council and housing association tenants and key workers are a priority for New Build Homebuy homes.

Read more about New Build HomeBuy

Shared Ownership resales
These are New Build HomeBuy or Shared Ownership properties that are now available for purchase under New Build Homebuy terms because the existing owners want to sell.

Intermediate Market Rent
This offers you the chance to rent good quality homes at a subsidised rent. Normally between 20% to 30% lower than what you would expect to pay for a similar property in the same area.

First Time Buyers Initiative (FTBI)
You can buy a share in a home on a designated FTBI development with government financial assistance (minimum £25001). You don’t have to repay the part you do not own for the first three years.

Read more about First Time Buyers Initiative

Rent to Homebuy
This option enables you to rent a newly built home at a discounted price. The discount on this Assured Shorthold Tenancy will be a minimum of 20% and could last up to 5 years.  When you are ready to buy and it is agreed with your landlord you can purchase a share under New Build HomeBuy or leave the home.

London-Wide Initiative
A scheme for key workers only. This is a shared equity scheme where the government keeps a percentage stake in the home. No payment is due on the government’s contribution until you sell the home or leave your key worker profession.

HomeBuy Direct 
This scheme helps first time buyers to to buy a home directly from a property developer with the help of and equity loan of up to 30% of the property market value.  There is no monthly charge to be paid on the loan for the first 5 years.

Read more about HomeBuy Direct

How to apply
You can get an application form and find out more information about the above schemes by:

Schemes to help you move to a new home:

Mutual Exchange (HOMESWAP)
Self-help scheme to assist council tenants in finding another council or housing association tenant to swap homes. Contact your local estate manager to register, or for more information visit: www.homeswapper.co.uk

Choice Based Mobility
This initiative is open to households living in Ealing, where each member of the household is aged 55 years or above. It helps households move out of London to properties across England. The properties available are usually in sheltered accommodation.

Seaside and country homes
The seaside and country homes scheme offers households living in council housing the opportunity to move home.  At least one member of the household should be aged 60 or above.  The scheme’s landlords manage bungalows and flats along the southwest coast from Cornwall through the countryside from Shropshire to Cambridgeshire over to Norfolk and Lincolnshire in the east.

Please contact the rehousing choice team on (020) 8825 7274 for details on how to register.

Read more at  www.housingmoves.org

Transfer Incentive Scheme

The Transfer Incentive Scheme is available to help those people whose homes are too large for them, move into a new property quickly and effortlessly. We will help you find and bid for a new property using the LOCATA scheme and also help you on moving day by arranging your removals at no cost.

You will benefit from:

Other advantages include:

You can choose the type of accommodation and the area you wish to move to. You can move to any local partner area via LOCATA (Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow) or outside London. 

Moving to a smaller property can reduce your heating bills and time spent on housekeeping. If you have mobility difficulties, you may be able to move to a more suitable ground-floor location such as a flat with a lift or a bungalow. We may also be able to arrange a connection to a community alarm system or help with moving this to your new property.

You are eligible for the scheme if:

A home visit can be arranged to discuss your housing requirements and options available.

For further information, contact the housing initiatives team on (020) 8825 7686.

Overcrowded households
We can look to try and find you an alternative private property to rent. This will be in the borough and near the schools you need. We may also be able to help you if you wish to move to a neighbouring borough if you prefer.

We may be able to help you with a mutual exchange where you swap your current council property directly with another family in a council property.

If any of your children are aged over 18 years old and are unemployed and need help with training in order to gain a work based qualification, they may be eligible for accommodation away from your overcrowded home and into a flat of their own.

If you are living with family members who are over 60 years old we can look to find them their own accommodation. This should help free up some space in your current home. 

If you wish to stay in your current home, we can look to see if we can help you by installing space saving furniture in your home. This can include bunk beds, foldaway desks for study, sofa beds or storage solutions.  We will visit you at your home to see if this is a suitable option.

If you happen to live in a property which you feel may be able to be extended or have a loft room fitted, please let us know.  Also if the property next door to you is vacant please let us know.  We may be able to see if there is any way of using it to help your overcrowding

A home visit can be arranged to discuss your housing requirements and options available.

Forfurther information, contact the housing initiatives team on (020) 8825 7686.