Find a home

Introduction to housing options in our area

If you are looking for a home in Central Bedfordshire there are a number of housing options you should consider. It is important to remember that housing options are not just about moving to another home, there may be ways for you to stay where you are. 

It is your decision which housing options are appropriate for your circumstances but you will need to be realistic when making this decision and look carefully at what is available. 

For most people, housing in the private rented market is the best option to meet specific preferences. It is more widely available than other types of housing and in more areas, so it offers greater choice if you have very strong ideas about where you want to live and what size property you think you should live in. 

There are also other types of rented homes which have their rents at a similar or lower level to private rents. These are properties usually owned by housing associations and are called Intermediate or Affordable rents. 

For people with a high income, or who already own their own home, home ownership may be a good option. As well as traditional home ownership, there are a number of other ways to buy all or part of a home.

A small number of people find it difficult to live on their own or have never had their own home before and need a bit of extra support. There are a number of supported housing schemes available and some of them provide specialist support to certain groups of people.

If no other housing options are suitable for you, there is social housing. Social housing is where properties are owned and managed by councils or housing associations. This option can be difficult to access because of the small number of properties available each year and the high number of people waiting for them. If you have strong ideas about what type and size of property you want to live in and where you want to live, this may not be the option for you because of the rules about who is allocated social housing.

If you cannot find the information you need, or need further advice, contact the Housing Options/Housing Needs Team on 01767 685800 or emailing housingneeds@aragon-housing.co.uk