How to apply for Housing
To find out how to apply for housing with Mercian you can contact us by telephoning, visiting or writing to our Aston office. Referrals from agencies are also considered, these include:
- Social Services
- Probation service
- Citizens Advise Bureau
- Advice and Legal Aid Centres
- Other community- based organisations
We also have nomination agreements with a number of Local Authorities (Birmingham, Nuneaton, Rugby, Sandwell, Shropshire and Walsall), which normally means 50% of available dwellings are offered to persons nominated by them. In Coventry and Sandwell all of our homes are allocated through their respectiveChoice-Based Lettings schemes.
In all areas except Coventry and Solihull existing tenants of Mercian may also apply for a transfer. Tenants in Coventry and Solihull who wish to transfer and remain in those areas must apply to register for the local Choice-Based Lettings Scheme.
For more information about transfers and exchanges, click here.
Who is not eligible?
- Applicants aged under 18 years old
- Asylum seekers and refugees who have not been given leave to remain in the UK by the Home Office.
- Owner-occupiers are not generally admitted to our waiting list unless there are special circumstances e.g. elderly applicants requiring sheltered accommodation.
- Owner-occupiers applying for general purpose housing should not have capital/equity exceeding £50,000.
- Current tenants of the Local Authorities and Housing Associations will not be accepted unless they have been referred through the correct nomination procedure.
- People who have had a previous tenancy with another Local Authority or Housing Association and have left owing rent arrears.
- People who have had a previous tenancy with Mercian, another Local Authority or Housing Association and either they or a member of their household have committed a serious breach of their tenancy by:
- causing a nuisance, annoyance or harassment to their neighbours
- allowing their property to be used for illegal or immoral purposes
- physically or verbally assaulting their landlord or their agents and contractors.
What to do when you receive your application form
- Application forms should be completed giving as much detail as possible and where possible include supporting evidence to confirm circumstances, such as medical report, notice to vacate/quit, proof of income and any savings.
- Once completed the form should be sent to one of Mercian's offices.
The next stage
When received, the application form is assessed against our housing needs points scheme. If further information (or supporting documentation) is required to carry out an accurate assessment, we will write to you.
Your application may be rejected if:
- you have little or no housing need and we could not realistically be able to re-house you within two years.
- you are requesting property in an area where we have very few available homes. If this happens you will be notified in writing and advised of the appeal procedure.