Social and Affordable Housing

Renting a housing association home through Home Options:

The Council no longer owns any properties. All council housing was transferred in 2002, and is now owned by emh homes.

You can apply for housing with EMH, or other social landlords in the area online by visiting the Home Options Website. Alternatively you can contact EMH directly on 0800 389 8083, or any of the other 12 housing associations operating in Erewash (housing associations are sometimes known as Registered Providers (RPs).  

You can get more details about the housing associations through their websites. 

The Council still retains its enabling role to ensure the housing needs of the Borough’s residents are met. This includes responsibility for:

  • Housing advice and homelessness

  • Determination of Housing Need

  • Development and implementation of housing policies and strategies

In addition, the Housing Team is responsible for private-sector housing and some home energy advice. This involves the provision of advice, information and enforcement of minimum standards in private housing including landlord and tenant issues, houses in multiple occupation and home energy efficiency advice.

Affordable Housing

By affordable housing we normally mean homes which are owned by a housing association, for cheaper rent, or for shared-ownership. In Erewash, there are many people who do not have the income or other means to buy a property and renting privately would also be too expensive and/or too short-term. There is therefore a need for housing which can provide these households with an affordable home in which they can live for many years.

The housing which would be called “affordable” housing is normally owned by housing associations. They provide cheaper housing to rent, or in some cases to buy.

There are around 7,300 housing association properties for rent in Erewash (approximately 2,000 of these for older people).   

There are also shared ownership properties, which are effectively part-rent/part buy. For example, if a housing association owned a property worth £100,000, someone could buy a 50% share of £50,000 with a mortgage and pay rent on the other 50%. This would be cheaper than trying to buy normally.

The council can help housing associations to build or buy more affordable houses. They can negotiate with builders and developers to make sure that up to 30% of houses on a large site are sold to a housing association for affordable housing.  

They can also support housing associations to get extra money from government agencies, and in some cases give extra money from the Council to build affordable homes on other sites.