This page provides information for people looking for accommodation in the Oadby and Wigston Borough. It has information about Shared Ownership schemes, renting from the Council, Homelessness and also has links to our Allocations Policy and contact details for local housing associations.
Buying a property
The main thing to think about when you are looking to buy a property is, can you afford it? There are a number of estate agents in the borough and you can find their details in the phone book or on the internet. The local newspapers publish property supplements and there are free papers specifically dealing with properties for sale.
Shared ownership schemes
We work in partnership with Housing Associations to provide low cost housing in the borough. Shared ownership was introduced to help people who cannot afford to buy a home outright. Through shared ownership you buy a share of the property and pay rent on the remaining share to the housing association. Gradually you may buy more shares and eventually own outright.
For more information contact:
Demontfort Housing Society Ltd
Phone: Leicester (0116) 220 5555
Riverside Housing Association
Phone: (Local rate) 0845 330 4900
HomeBuy scheme
There is a new scheme with East Midlands Housing Association (to eligible applicants) which is known as HomeBuy-GLO (Government Loan Only). The scheme allows you to purchase a property of your choice on the open market but you must be able to get a mortgage for at least 82.5% of the value. The remaining 17.5% (or less) is leant to you by East Midlands Housing and there is nothing to pay on this loan whilst you live in the property.
However, when you come to sell the property it will be re-valued and you must pay back whatever the % loan is worth at the time of sale, or when you redeem it.
For more information contact:
EMHOMEBUY
Phone: 0844 892 0112
Renting in the private sector
You can find houses and flats to rent from landlords within the borough and there are a number of lettings agencies which you can contact. The local newspapers have sections of property to let. Landlords usually let their properties for 6 or 12 months at a time. Agents may charge a fee for their service and you normally pay a deposit before you move in. You can get a list of lettings agents from our offices.
Renting from us
We have around 1,300 council properties and most of these are flats or maisonettes. There is a high demand for our properties which means that the waiting list is very long.
Although anyone can register on our waiting list, we give priority to people who live in the borough. We operate a points system so it is important that you tell us as much as you can about your housing needs. When you have provided all the information needed to assess your application you will receive a registration number. Before making you an offer of accommodation we will visit you at your home to confirm the information you have provided. You can get a Housing Application pack from our offices.
Click here to view our allocations policy|
Renting from a Housing Association
Housing Associations are social landlords who work in partnership with councils to provide affordable housing. There are a number of housing associations that rent properties within our borough. The rents are generally lower than they are in the private sector. You can get a list of housing associations from our offices or click below.
Click here to view a list of Housing Associations|
Homelessness
If you think that you could be made homeless or if you have been threatened with homelessness it is best to get advice as early as possible. The best way to deal with homelessness is to prevent it. We have found that with the right guidance you can sometimes avoid becoming homeless.
We can give you information and assistance to help prevent homelessness. The type of issues we can help with include: rent arrears; notice to quit; relationship breakdown; domestic violence. In many cases there are options available which could prevent you from becoming homeless.
Unfortunately, not all homelessness can be prevented. In the event that you do become homeless you will need to make a homeless declaration with our Homelessness officer. Our homelessness officer will carry out careful enquiries into your circumstances to determine if the council has a duty to assist you. Even in the cases where the council does not have a duty to give you emergency accommodation we will give you advice and assistance to secure your own accommodation.
If you require emergency accommodation, please contact the Housing Section on Leicester (0116) 288 8961.
Return to Welcome to the Housing Section page|