Wulvern is the largest Housing Association in south Cheshire providing homes for social rent for over 11,000 customers across the fast-growing town of Crewe, historic market town of Nantwich and a number of charming and desirable Cheshire villages.

Housing Associations are non profit making organisations run by voluntary committees and provide affordable homes for people in housing need. Like all other Housing Associations, Wulvern’s performance is monitored and regulated by our governing body – The Tenants Service Authority.

As a Housing Association we are different from other landlords in the area because our income gets put back into our homes and services, not paid out to shareholders. Wulvern has now successfully delivered our £40.1 million improvement programme, resulting in more than 10,700 home improvements for our customers including new kitchens, bathrooms, doors and heating systems.

We have a range of homes available for social rent, contact us today to apply for a home.

Choice Based Lettings

From April 2010 the application for our homes will be done via Choice Based Lettings. The Choice Based Lettings system is different from the traditional way of allocating housing via the waiting list.  It allows customers (and existing tenants who want to transfer) to apply for vacancies which are advertised widely in the neighbourhood, eg: on the internet, in local Council Offices, libraries etc.

How will it work here?

Cheshire homechoice will be introduced in Cheshire East in April 2010. Cheshire East Council, Cheshire Peaks & Plains Housing Trust, Plus Dane Group and Wulvern will become a partnership to deliver the new scheme.

Cheshire homechoice changes the way that we allocate houses by replacing complicated points based systems with one of 5 bands of priority which enables expressions of interest and giving people choice.  Expressing an interest simply means applying for. 

An example of how the scheme will work: -

1. Register on the waiting list.  An assessment of housing need is made when cheshire homechoice receive an application form and these are placed in a band ranging from low housing need through to urgent need to move (5 star is highest housing need and 1 star is no identified housing need).
2. Look at the properties advertised on line or in local offices.
3. Each week, people can express an interest in up to three the properties that they would like to move to (this can be via the internet, text or phone).  If the household is suited to that home and has been waiting the longest on the housing register (or are without a home at the moment), they may be given a final interview where a few further checks will be made.
4. View the home and decide if they want it.  If so, the landlord for the property will guide the household through the paperwork.

Once properties are allocated, Cheshire homechoice will release lists to show which properties were allocated to which band and how long applicants have been on the waiting list.

How will YOU benefit?

You fill in ONE application form to register for properties with ALL the participating housing organisations.  As well as social housing the scheme will eventually advertise private rented properties and also affordable housing to purchase.

• You will decide which properties to apply for
• There will be information available about which properties were allocated to which band of applicant and how long they had been on the list
• There will be a single allocations policy so all properties are allocated in the same way (although there may be a few exceptions for rural schemes)
• There will be support available for vulnerable individuals
• It will allow greater regional mobility

For more information please visit http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/housing/choice_based_letting.aspxx