Intermediate housing register

What is the intermediate housing register?

It can give you a solution if you can’t access social rented housing.

It helps people with low to average household incomes who find it hard to enter or move within the housing market. There are many types of intermediate housing available in London and fall into two broad categories:

affordable home ownership to support households to purchase their own home, and
intermediate rent to support those who would struggle to afford private rent

Who can apply?

You can apply if:

you are a Tower Hamlets resident
you have worked in Tower Hamlets for at least six months

How does it work?

Council policy ensures our residents (and workers who qualify) get the first chance to express interest in intermediate housing schemes built in the borough.

You can join the register to receive property details from the developers and Housing Associations. You can tailor the details you get sent to what you need.

In the first three months that any new scheme is marketed, eligible applicants will receive details on the available properties.

If Tower Hamlets residents have not purchased or rented these homes, they will be offered out on the Greater London Authority (GLA) portal.

Are you guaranteed to be rehoused?

You are not guaranteed to be rehoused as this register is not a waiting list.

It helps you to find a home to buy or rent. It lets you get priority viewings before the homes are offered out more widely.

Is the register run by the council?

The register is not run by the council.

It offers homes that are built by organisations that we work with. They will be able to help with any questions you have about the properties.

Who is eligible to join the intermediate housing register?

Applicants are prioritised in this order:

Existing social housing tenants
Armed Forces personnel (serving military personnel and former members of the British Armed Forces discharged within the last two years)
Any Tower Hamlets resident
Non-Tower Hamlets residents who have been working in the borough for the past six months

What is the intermediate housing register process?

Applicants in each band will be prioritised by the date of their interest registration.
If there is a tie between two applicants in a banding, priority will be given to the applicant/household on the lowest income.
Each scheme will have its own valuation and cost. Applicants need to show that they can afford the property. (There is no set minimum income for intermediate homes.)
The process is managed by registered providers and developers. They’ll screen your application to check you can afford the property.

Access the intermediate housing register

What happens after you register your interest?

If properties are available, housing providers will email you details about them.

What happens if you don’t get any emails about properties?

If you do not get contacted, it is because nothing is available. Please be aware demand is high, but supply is low. Due to the many people that apply, housing providers will only contact applicants who have been shortlisted.

General eligibility criteria

If you’re invited to view any intermediate homes, you will need to:

For rent

Your annual household income must be less than £60,000
Show at least two references. One must be from your current employer
Have enough savings to pay one months rent in advance
Have enough savings to pay one months deposit
Have good credit to pass a reference check

For sale

Your annual household income must be less than £90,000
You cannot own another home
You should not be able to afford to buy a home suitable for your housing needs on the open market
Be able to secure a mortgage
Access to funds to pay associated costs and mortgage deposit