Your housing options

An overview of housing options, schemes and support, to help you find out where to look next.

If you are looking for a home, there are a number of options available, depending on your circumstances. We've listed some of the main options and support available below, with links to further information.

Private renting

Private renting means renting a property from a private landlord or a company, not the council or a housing association. Private rented housing is often a good option because you get self-contained accommodation in an area of your choice. There is also a wide choice of properties, including shared housing, flats and entire houses.

You can find out more about private renting on our housing advice: private renting page. We've included advice on finding a rented property, deposits, paying rent (including struggling to pay rent), and how the housing team can help.

Social housing: renting from a housing association

Social housing is rented accommodation provided by a local council or housing associations (also known as 'Registered Social Landlords'). In West Berkshire, all of our social housing is provided by housing associations.

To access a housing association home, you first need to apply to be on the 'housing register'. You can find out more on our Homechoice: the housing register page and find information about eligibility on the Homechoice website.

We can advise you on:

whether social housing is the best option for you
what size of property you may be eligible for
waiting times for housing

Unfortunately, social housing will often not resolve your housing situation in the short-term and you can wait years to be allocated an affordable home.

Transfers

If you are a housing association tenant and you cannot stay in your current home, you may be able to transfer to a different home with the same landlord. You should speak to your landlord to see if this can be arranged. If you prefer, you can contact us, and we may be able to speak to your landlord on your behalf.

Mutual exchanges

If you are a housing association tenant and you want to move, an alternative option to a transfer is a mutual exchange. A mutual exchange involves swapping your home with another council or housing association tenant in West Berkshire or elsewhere in the country.

You can find out more on our mutual exchange page.

Buying a home

Buying your own home on the 'open market' can be a good option, but it's not affordable for everyone. If you'd like to buy your own home, there are a few schemes available to help.

Shared ownership

Shared ownership allows you to buy a 'share' in a home and pay rent on the remaining share. The remaining share is owned by a housing association or developer.

This might be a good option if you want to get on the property ladder but you can't afford the full cost of a property.

Find out more on our shared ownership page.

Intermediate rent

Intermediate rent properties are set with the rent approximately 20% cheaper than those on the open market. You will be expected to use the money you can save from having lower rental payments to put towards a deposit on buying a home.

You can find out more on our affordable housing page.

Discounted sales

Discounted sales properties are sold below market value. Unlike shared ownership, you do not have to pay rent on the remaining share of the property. However, when you sell the property, you sell at the same discounted rate, so that the saving is passed on to the next buyer and the property stays affordable.

You can find out more on our affordable housing page.

Rural affordable housing

To help people who are living in or are connected to rural parishes, small housing developments (known as 'rural exceptions sites') can be created to provide affordable housing to local people.

You can find out more about these sites, local connection and how communities can get involved on our rural affordable housing page.

Supported housing

There are a range of supported housing schemes available for elderly and vulnerable people across the borough.

If you need additional care and support or help to live independently when you move, we can give you advice on what options are available to you. In some cases, we can make a referral on your behalf to supported housing schemes.

You can find out more on our housing advice: older people and care needs page, or contact our Housing Options Team.

Help in your own home

We provide a range of services to help people to live independently in their own home, these are called 'floating support services'.

Floating support services can offer you tailored support wherever you live. The services are free and are designed to give you the support you need in order to stay in your own home. To find out more about the floating support services available in your area, please contact us.

If you are disabled, you may be eligible for a disabled facilities grant to help adapt your home.

If you're experiencing domestic abuse

If you're experiencing domestic abuse, the housing team can advise you of your tenancy rights, security measures and may be able to offer emergency short term accommodation.

We can also advise on longer term housing options.

Visit the domestic abuse support page for support services, or our domestic abuse housing advice page for information about housing options.

If you're at risk of homelessness

If you are at risk of becoming homeless (or are already homeless), contact our Housing Options Team. We will be able to discuss your housing options with you and see what support we can offer. We can also help you to check that you're receiving the right welfare benefits and assist with filling in the relevant forms.

For more information see our homelessness support page.

You can find out more about how we can help with different housing issues on our homelessness 'how we can help' page.