Change in housing requirements

A client or their partner (if any) may have changes in their circumstances that affect their housing needs (property requirements).

A change in housing needs includes when the client:

• needs another person to be added or removed from the tenancy agreement or
• needs a different property type or
• dies

When the client has a change in their circumstances affecting the need for the particular property they are renting (e.g. the client or someone else who lives with the client no longer requires the number of bedrooms or modifications such as wheelchair access or wet area shower that are in the property), you will need to:

• decide whether the change affects the rate of Income Related Rent
• review the rate of Income Related Rent if required
• record the change in the system

When there are changes to the client's Income Related Rent or an applicant's priority on the social housing register see:

• Income Related Rent Change in circumstances
• Register management and referrals Change in circumstances

A client's continued eligibility for social housing will not be reviewed until they are selected for tenancy review. See:

Nikki and Lua have just separated. They live in a 4 bedroom property with their 3 children. Lua has remained in the property and Nikki and the children have moved out. He knows he needs to tell MSD about the separation.

Lua's continued eligibility for social housing and the need for the particular property he is renting will not be reassessed at this time. Lua would need to be selected for a tenancy review before his continued eligibility would be reviewed.

Valerie and her elderly mother live in a 3-bedroom modified property (has wet area shower, wide hallways and a wheelchair ramp). They are both on the tenancy agreement.

Valerie's mother has just moved into a rest-home. Valerie knows she needs to tell MSD about her situation.

Valerie's continued eligibility for social housing and the need for the particular property she is renting will not be reassessed at this time.

When Valerie selected for a tenancy review, her continued eligibility will be reviewed.

Wiremu is a sole parent living in a 2-bedroom unit.

He has 3 children but only 1 child in his full-time care.

Wiremu confirms that his other 2 children (aged 9 and 11 years old) will be coming back into his full-time care in the coming weeks.

He has been in contact with his social worker who has suggested that he applies for a transfer.

Wiremu's children should be added into his record when they come into his care.

A client initiated transfer needs to be completed and if he is eligible, he will go onto the register.

Wiremu needs to be selected for tenancy review before his continued eligibility will be reviewed (for his current tenancy).

There may be some situations when the client has a change in circumstances which means they have more bedrooms than they need. In these situations, the client is likely to be identified for tenancy review selection sooner than others.

One of the focus groups for tenancy review is social housing tenants in underutilised properties.

Sometimes, a client may contact MSD to request a transfer to another property that better suits their housing need.

For more information see:

When the client has had a significant change in circumstances, you can complete an assessment to identify the client's housing needs (requirements). This isn't a full eligibility assessment, but a review to assess the client's housing needs (e.g. bedroom numbers based on the number of household members).

Generally these assessments are only completed when a housing provider requests one.

For more information see:

A review of housing need may be completed when MSD consider the housing provider should be aware the housing needs of the household have changed significantly (perhaps putting the household in greater risk of overcrowding).

Note you must advise the housing provider of the results of any assessment (including on review) of housing needs in relation to one of their tenants. This will give the housing provider confirmation of the tenant's (client's) housing needs so that the housing provider can decide whether any changes to the property are required to suit the tenant or whether the tenant should be transferred to another property.

If a client or their partner (if any) has a disability and they need modifications made to the property so they can continue to live there, the client must discuss modifications required with their housing provider.

When the housing provider cannot make the modifications the client may request a transfer to another more appropriate property.