Offer of housing
Here's a list of things you need to do:
Paying rent upfront
Depending on how often you pay your rent, everyone needs to pay either one week or one month in advance when they sign their tenancy. You will not receive the keys until you pay it.
Your tenancy will start on the day you complete the sign-up forms, and you will need to pay rent from the following day either weekly or monthly as agreed.
If you’re on a low income, out of work or claiming benefits, make sure your housing benefit or Universal Credit covers your rent. If it doesn't, make sure you can afford to cover the difference.
Use this budget planner to check what you can afford.
For further confidential advice and guidance on your specific situation, please visit the Wolverhampton Homes help and support pages.
Paying bills and utilities
On top of rent, there are other bills that you must pay. These include
- Council tax
- Gas
- Electricity
- Water
- TV licence
- Phone contracts
- Wi-Fi
- Contents insurance
- TV and movie streaming services
Buy furniture and fittings
You will also need to save up to make sure you can afford to buy furniture and other essential items. These include:
- Decorating equipment – paint, brushes and rollers, wallpaper, wallpaper paste
- Furniture – beds, sofa, table, chairs, wardrobes
- Tableware – plates, bowls, dishes, cups, knives, forks, spoons, kitchen utensils, pots, and pans
- Appliances – TV, cooker, washing machine, microwave, kettle, toaster, fridge/freezer
- Fabric items – Carpet, curtains, towels, bedding
- Garden maintenance - Lawnmower, strimmer, spade, rake, hoe
We make sure our homes are clean, safe, secure and in reasonable repair when they are ready to let, but they will be empty.
The Wolverhampton Homes' Lettable Standard gives full details of what you can expect. Other housing providers will have their own lettable standards.
Open a bank, building society or credit union account
If you haven't already got an account with a bank, building society or credit union, you will need to open one. This is so that you can set up a Direct Debit for your rent payments.
Find our more about bank accounts and budget accounts from Wolverhampton City Credit Union which help you manage all your bills.
Set up an email address
If you haven't got an email address, it’s simple to set one up and you can find lots of help and advice about getting online at Learn My Way.
Get your ID ready
You'll need to provide two proofs of ID for everyone in your household who is looking to move, and proof of where you are living now. These include:
- Birth certificate
- Passport (current)
- Full or provisional driving licence
- Valid UK residence permit
- Identity card EC/EEA state
- Marriage or Civil partnership certificate
- Biometric residence permit
- Medical card
- Television licence
- Gas, electric, water, and telephone bill (not mobile) received in the last three months
- Bank or building society statement (not older than four weeks) or passbook
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to provide extra documents. You will be told what is required, it could include:
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Child benefit/child tax award with child’s details
- Tenancy agreement from a private landlord (we will also need references from your landlord)
- Lodger letter
- Equity if owner occupier or owned a house in the last two years
- Proof that your house is up for sale
- Medical evidence if having difficulties with stairs/steps
If you fail to produce your ID and the evidence we need within a reasonable period (48 hours), you will be bypassed, and we will contact the next customer on the shortlist. So make sure you have everything ready.
Fill in the pre-offer checklist
Before we can make you an offer, you'll need to fill in our pre-offer checklist.
You can find this in the Downloads section
We recommend that you download it as soon as possible and start filling it in so you're all set.
Get ready to move in
If we can offer you a home, you'll need to move in straight away.
So if you're not ready to move please don't bid.