Join the housing register

How do I make an application to the housing register?

Before making an application, we would advise you to look at our Allocations Scheme, as this sets out the criteria for being accepted onto Tonbridge and Malling's register.

If on looking you wish to proceed with an application, please visit www.kenthomechoice.org.uk. Once an application has been submitted, we will request supporting information. Once we fully assess it, we will let you know if you have been successful and if so, how you can bid.

We must advise you that as we recently moved to a new system and updated our Allocations Scheme, we have a large backlog of applications waiting to be assessed and it’s therefore likely to be several months before we reach your application if you choose to move forward. Therefore, if you are unable to remain where you are, we would strongly advise you to contact our Housing Solutions Team to discuss your circumstances.

I need help to apply online or I don’t have access to a computer/internet.

We no longer hold paper forms, as we are working with a new system where all applications must be submitted online.

If you require assistance to apply, we’d encourage you to ask family and friends or to contact a local support service for help. If you are unable to do so or have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will add you to our call-back list to discuss.

I have applied online, but I am struggling to upload my documents. Is there another way to provide them?

No, documents must be uploaded to your application directly, by attaching them to the relevant action. If you are uploading an image the format must end in jpeg, jpg, png, gif, tif or tiff and if it’s a document it must end in txt, rtf, doc, docx or pdf.

You can only upload 8MB at a time (in total, not per individual attachment) so please upload in small batches. You can also only add 10 uploads to each action at any one time. If you have already reached this limit on a specific action and would like to add more information you can use the "upload a document" action that is available on your account.

If you are still having issues after following these instructions, please take a screenshot of the error message that appears and send it to housing.services@tmbc.gov.uk .

Actions are set upon applying, but many applicants are not providing all evidence we need. We are therefore having to request more evidence, and this is delaying us moving through the applications quickly.

We are currently completing overtime during the weekends and reviewing documents uploaded by applicants, we are then sending requests for missing evidence. This is to ensure when the application is passed to an assessor it is ready for assessment. Even though we are asking for documents, it may still take some time until your application is fully assessed.

When will my application be assessed?

We are providing updates on our website on the dates we are reviewing documents, and also the date range within which officers are assessing applications. 

I have applied online, and the system states I need a (?) bedroom property, but I need (?) bedrooms.

The system makes an estimation based on the number of people in the household. The actual bedroom need is decided by the assessing officer if you are accepted onto the housing register, after a full assessment. An amendment will be made to your application if needed once this assessment has been completed.

I have reapplied through the new system but the priority date showing on the portal is not correct.

Your effective date is the date you submitted your new application. Your priority date will be added by the assessing officer if you are accepted onto the register under our new Allocations Scheme and your previous priority date will be taken into consideration at this time (if applicable).

How long will it take to be housed?

There is no specific position on the list or wait time for a property when bidding through Kent Homechoice. If you’ve been accepted onto the register, your position will change each time you bid depending on how many others bid on the same property. Unfortunately, being accepted onto the housing register is not a guarantee of accommodation and as the demand for social housing always far outstrips the supply, the average wait for a property is 2-3 years. However, this could be longer if you require a certain type of property, area or your circumstances change and there is nothing that can be done to speed this process up.

I have placed a bid on a property that would be perfect for my household and would like to be considered

Our Housing Allocations Team at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council deal with applications for the housing register only. We do not hold any housing stock and have no influence over the routine shortlisting and letting of properties advertised through Kent Homechoice. The shortlisting is completed by the individual Housing Providers who consider priority band order, date order and when relevant any Local Lettings Plan (LLP) criteria. If the housing provider wishes to make an offer of accommodation they will contact you to discuss.

I have applied online but I have not heard anything yet/I am bidding and have not been offered a property and I am going to be homeless soon.

There is no specific position on the list or wait time for a property when bidding through Kent Homechoice. If you’ve been accepted onto the register, your position will change each time you bid depending on how many others bid on the same property. Unfortunately, being accepted onto the housing register is not a guarantee of accommodation and as the demand for social housing always far outstrips the supply, the average wait for a property is 2-3 years. However, this could be longer if you require a certain type of property, area or your circumstances change and there is nothing that can be done to speed this process up.

Therefore, if you are unable to remain where you are, we would strongly advise you to contact our Housing Solutions Team to discuss your circumstances. You can do this through your portal.

I am a 3-bed need but I can’t bid on properties as I have too many people in my household, can you help?

We do not hold housing stock, we also are not involved in the advertising of properties. Property specifications, including occupancy levels based on the size of the property and rooms available, are the responsibility of the housing provider. Housing providers are restricted on occupancy levels due to Statutory overcrowding legislation which is based on square footage of the property and the rooms. Therefore, 3-bedroom homes may have the amount of bedrooms needed but based on the size of those bedrooms, cannot hold more than 4 or 5 occupants legally.

Whilst we understand your frustrations as there is a lack of larger 3-bedroom homes, we cannot resolve this issue, and housing providers cannot offer you a home that is too small for you based on legislation for Statutory overcrowding.

There has been a change in my circumstance

If there has been a change in your circumstances such as a change in your household composition, address, income, medical needs etc, please log into your portal to update your application.

I would like a call-back to discuss my application

If you have information to provide or a query about your application for the housing register, please send us a message through your portal. As a small team dealing with over a thousand applications at any one time, we are not able to provide one to one support over the phone. However, the inbound messages are monitored daily, and we aim to respond to enquiries within 48 hours, although we do have up to 10 working days depending on the volume of message we are receiving. 

When messaging please provide as much information as possible, to enable us to assist with or direct your query.

How do I change the email address on my account?

You can amend your correspondence address via your ‘My PROFILE’ section of your account. This does not amend the email address you log in with.
In order to amend the email address you log in with, you will need to create a new account with a new email address and email us to confirm when you have done this as you will not be able to log into either account once you have created a second account.
We will then need to manually unlink your old email address and account and link your new one to enable you to gain access.

You do not need to complete a new application on the new account when you initially create a new account.

Contact from support workers and or other external organisations to discuss the client’s case

We require written consent from the family to discuss an application.

If you could please send this via email or ask the household to email in, we can add it to the system and discuss further.

I want to complain / go to my MP

You can complain about the service you have received; and there are full details online about our complaints policy and submitting a complaint. However, a complaint will only consider if you have been treated unfairly. It will not prioritise your application assessment, nor will it make amendments to your application, unless it is discovered during the investigation that an error has been made and it can be rectified. 

This is not an exhaustive list, but the most asked question. Please do hesitate to contact one of the team if you have any queries.