I want to find a new home

There are thousands of people looking for a new home in Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood. Not everyone will be successful in securing social housing so many people decide to look for a privately rented home or consider other options to make their current housing situation work for them.

Private renting can often mean you have more choice and can find a home much quicker, giving you more control. We understand that some people have had a poor experience with private renting, however most people have a good experience and the Council has a Private Rented Team to help if anything goes wrong or are there if you just need some advice.

You can find privately rented homes at:
 

Remember though, if the property is not in good condition, for example there is damp on the walls, don’t rent it.

We also understand that sometimes rents can be a little higher than in social housing and you may need to make a deposit to secure a home. We may be able to support you with:

You may find using this Local Housing Allowance calculator helpful Search for Local Housing Allowance rates by postcode or local authority. The allowance applicable to you is based on your household size, not the property size.

You can ‘swap’ homes with other social housing tenants who are looking for a move. You can move more or less anywhere within the country, or even just next door.

If you find someone you’d like to swap homes with your landlord will carry out some checks to make sure the properties are suitable for swapping and that there have been no problems with the tenancies. If everyone is ok, you arrange a date for a move and off you go.

Visit our mutual exchange page for more information and some suggested mutual exchange websites where you can register and advertise your property. Your landlord may also subscribe to other mutual exchange schemes, so ask them for details.

You can also advertise privately, for example in newspapers, magazines and online, to advertise to swap properties, but you will still go through the same process if you find someone you'd like to exchange with.

It may be the right time to consider buying your own home. As well as the traditional way of buying a property there are a number of schemes to help you get on the property ladder.

The Council supports residents in home ownership using a range of schemes such as:
  • Shared Ownership, where you co-own a property with either the Council or housing association and you pay rent on the portion you do not own. This is eligible for Universal Credit housing costs or Housing benefit.
  • Help to Buy is a government scheme and applies to a range of newly build homes. New Help to Buy scheme open for business
  • Low-Cost Homeownership, are properties sold below market level to make them more affordable.

All these schemes will have some qualifying conditions. If you would like further details, contact the Rochdale Housing Solutions Team
Extra care housing is purpose-built accommodation with care and support provision for older and vulnerable people.

Extra care allows you to live as independently as possible with support provided by a dedicated care team and a range of assistive technology, together with the reassurance of staff on-site 24 hours a day.

Applicants and household members must be aged 55 years or over, have a care need and be a resident in the borough of Rochdale.

There are currently two schemes in the borough:-

Keswick Gardens in Middleton is delivered in partnership with the Riverside Housing Group, please visit the Riverside Keswick Gardens website for information and how to apply.

Hare Hill Extra Care Scheme in Littleborough is delivered in partnership with Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), please visit RBH Hare Hill website for information and how to apply.
 
The Council does not own any social housing, it only advertises available housing association properties. You may experience a long wait for a move; the average wait can be years and for certain areas and property types it can be even longer.

Most housing association properties are advertised here and many no longer accept direct applications, so by registering for rehousing with Rochdale Housing Solutions, you are registering with all the housing associations in the Borough.

See the Councils Housing Allocation Policy

To apply for social housing select the 'Apply now' button on the top right of this page.