Overcrowding can be an issue in your home. The table below is a copy of Annex 2, from our Housing Allocations Scheme. If, after checking with the detail below, you believe you are overcrowded, please contact us on 020 8610 3539, so that we can discuss your situation in further detail.

Classes of person that do not qualify

3.8 Having considered the changes made to the Housing Act 1996 Part VI in the Localism Act 2011, the following classes of person will not normally qualify for a place in a band. There is discretion to waive these classes in exceptional circumstances, as approved by a Housing Needs Manager or Housing Service Manager. Examples of what the Council means by discretion can be found in Section 3.18:

  1. i) Applicants who are only lacking one bedroom and are not statutorily overcrowded and this is their only housing need

The number of bedrooms needed by an applicant depends upon the size of their family. The chart shows the number of bedrooms that we consider an applicant needs based on household size.

  • Unborn babies and children under the age of 1 are not considered when determining the number of bedrooms needed.
  • Multiple births e.g. twins under the age of 1 are considered when determining the number of bedrooms needed.
  • Single people without children are usually offered studios.
  • Single bedrooms will be used for one person not sharing (for example a single parent).
  • Double bedrooms will be used for two people sharing (for example two children sharing)
  • A couple or single parent expecting a baby is entitled to one double bedroom.
  • A couple or single parents with a child under one are entitled to one double bedroom.
  • Two children of the opposite sex under ten will be expected to share a bedroom.
  • Some retiring staff are contractually entitled to one bedroom more than they need.
  • Council or Housing Association tenants trading down from properties with three or more bedrooms may choose a property with one bedroom more than they need
  • Sometimes Housing Associations adopt different criteria for determining the number of bedrooms a household requires.

Annex 2

Size of family Size of property
Single person Bedsit/single person home with single bedroom
A couple without children 1 bedroom
A couple with 1 child who is under the age of 1 1 bedroom
Two adults of the same sex and generation for example, flat sharers, or two brothers 1 bedroom
A couple with a child aged one or over, including an adult son or daughter 2 bedrooms
A couple with two children of the same sex 2 bedrooms
Two adults of opposite sex who do not live as a couple, for example, brother and sister 2 bedrooms
A couple with two children of opposite sex and both under ten 2 bedrooms
A couple with two children of opposite sex one of whom is 1 or over and the other who is 10 or over 3 bedrooms
A couple with three children 2 or 3 bedrooms, depending on the age of the children
A couple with four children (all of the same sex or two of each sex) 3 bedrooms
A couple with two children of the opposite sex under ten and one dependent relative (for example, widowed mother) 3 bedrooms
A couple with four children (three of one sex and one of the opposite sex) 3 or 4 bedrooms depending on the age of the children
A couple with more than four children 4 bedrooms