Declining offer of a suitable property

Clients can be referred to a social housing provider when the provider has a suitable property available that is likely to meet the client's housing requirements.

The provider will make an offer of a property to the client and arrange for them to view it.

Before you can decide that a client has declined a property without good and sufficient reason, the client must have been advised of the consequences of refusing the offer without a good and sufficient reason. This includes advising how the client's eligibility will be assessed if the client applies for social housing within 13 weeks of declining the offer. The client must be advised that:

• if they decline an offer of a social housing property (or fail to accept a property because of non-response to an offer), without a good and sufficient reason, they will be removed immediately from the housing register and
• their decision to decline (or not accept a property because of a non-response to an offer) without a good and sufficient reason, will be considered a material factor when assessing eligibility for social housing, if they reapply within 13 weeks of declining the offer

If a client declines an offer of a suitable property (or fails to accept a property because of non-response to an offer) without a good and sufficient reason, you must:

• where the client has given reasons, advise the client that your initial view is that the reasons given appear not to be good and sufficient
• give the client a further opportunity to provide alternative and additional reasons for declining (or failing to accept) the property, before a final decision is made

Once you have determined the client did not have a good and sufficient reason to decline (or fail to accept) the property, the client is no longer eligible for social housing and you must remove the client from the register.

Note this also applies to clients who have indicated a preference for a specific housing provider.

For more information see:

A client can review the decision to remove them from the register because they are no longer eligible.

For more information see: