A single person can be young or old, divorced, separated or bereaved. You might be waiting to get married or quite simply someone who prefers to live alone. Whatever your situation, we may be able to help you find a place to live.

This section of our web site explains your position with regard to the Housing & Transfer Register and the range of expert advice that we provide.

For further information call our Housing Needs and Advice team on the number on the bottom of the page and see the link below on How the Housing Register Works.

The Citizens Advice Bureau offer advice on line about housing for young people. See the link below 'Adviceguide - Young people: housing' for more information.

What is a single person?

We will consider you to be a single person if you are:

Neither engaged to be married nor living with someone else as husband and wife.
Divorced or legally separated and do not have children or you have an agreement for your children to stay occasionally.
Separated from someone you were living with as husband and wife and do not have children, or you have a contact order with children from a former relationship, or you have an informal agreement for contact with your children.

Housing for single people between 18 and 50

If you are aged between 18-50 and qualify for re-housing in one of the village Allocation Groups, you have the option of being considered for:

A flat in that Allocation Group.
Accommodation in Vale House, Aylesbury.
A flat in an adjacent Allocation Group if there are no flats in your home allocation group.
Vale House in Aylesbury is specially designed for single people and consists of flats and bedsits, some of which have their own cooker and fridge. All have their own bathroom and kitchen and a resident manager lives on site.

You may also be nominated to a Registered Social Landlord (housing association) for a home.

For details of Allocation Groups see the link below on How the Housing Register Works.

Housing for single people over 50

If you are aged over 50, or have a Contact Order for your children, you will be considered for a ‘general needs’ flat.

You may also be nominated to a Registered Social Landlord (housing association) for a home.

Single but contact with children

If you have overnight contact with children from a previous relationship you may be considered for a 2 bedroom flat instead of a 1 bedroom flat. You will need to provide proof of contact you have (ie a Contact Order of Agreement). You will need to discuss this with one of our staff when you make your application to join the Housing & Transfer Register.

Qualifications for joining the Housing & Transfer Register

Anyone may apply to join the Housing & Transfer Register. The only people who are not eligible are those with certain immigration status and those whose current or past behaviour is such that we believe they would not be suitable to be a tenant. For more information on How the Housing & Transfer Register works please see the link below.

What are Housing Needs points?

To assess your need for a Council home we look at your present home and give points to applicants for facilities such as a bathroom or kitchen that are shared or lacking.

You may qualify for points if you live in a rented bedsit and share the bathroom, toilet and kitchen with other tenants and also if you are an assured shorthold tenant.

For more information on How the Housing & Transfer Register works please see the link below.

Choosing a type of flat when applying for Vale House

When applying for Vale House, if you would rather have a flat or a bedsit please write this on your application form.

The waiting time for a flat is usually the longest, and for a bedsit usually the shortest.

Renewing your application

You have to renew your application every twelve months. We will send you a reminder form that you must complete and return to us.

Your name will be automatically removed from the Register if you do not renew your application in good time. You will be advised in advance if your application is being removed.

Sharing a flat in Vale House with a friend

There are a few double flats in Vale House which two people may share.

A joint tenancy may be granted to brothers and sisters, single people wishing to share a home, a parent and an adult child.

A joint tenancy will not be granted to any person who is the owner, joint owner or tenant of another property.

What happens if you marry or begin to live with someone while living in Vale House?

As Vale House is designed for single people, you must apply for a transfer to another property if you are no longer single.

Applying for a transfer from Vale House

You have the right to stay in Vale House for as long as you are single. However, you can apply for a transfer to another flat when you are 30 or over.

Housing advice available to you

The Housing Act 1996 obliges us to ensure that advice and information about homelessness and the prevention of homelessness is provided free of charge to any person in the district. Call our Housing Needs and Advice team or email, details below. 

We can offer advice about:

Accommodation in the private rented sector.
Hostel accommodation for single people.
Registered Social Landlords (housing associations) providing housing in the district.
Personal budgeting.
Benefit advisory agencies.
Independent advisory agencies offering free advice on a range of housing related issues.

Date Updated: 01/04/08