Questions about finding a new home

You would have to be registered with your local council to be eligible to bid on our vacant properties, which the council advertise through their Choice Based Letting Scheme.

ISHA has properties in six London boroughs, including Camden, Islington, Hackney, Haringey, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets.

The number of bedrooms you receive will depend on the size of your household. For example if you are a couple with 2 children under the age of 10 years old, your home will have 2 double bedrooms. Our allocation policy states that children of the opposite sex are not entitled to separate rooms until the eldest reaches 10 years old.

If you are already an ISHA tenant you may be entitled to apply for a transfer but there is qualifying criteria. A summary of the criteria can be found below or you can download our transfer policy (pdf, 204kb).

Priority Group 1 – Home Moves

This refers to tenants who must move from their existing ISHA home so that major works, repair or improvement can be carried out. 

Priority Group 2 – Management Transfers

This category includes the following: 

• Disabled tenants requiring wheelchair adapted accommodation,

• Tenants with serious medical needs where a member of the household is unable to use a part of their home due to their medical condition  e.g. someone with a physical disability who can no longer climb the stairs and the home is split on more than 1 floor.

• Cases of domestic violence where additional home security (Sanctuary) or legal action against the perpetrator is not appropriate and/or been successful.

• Serious harassment where a member of the household is unable to live in the property due to risk of violence

For Management Transfers ISHA will make one reasonable offer of like for like accommodation. This means that the property offered will be the same size and type as that which is currently occupied by the applicant.

Priority Group 3 – Board Approvals

This category includes applicants who have applied for a transfer who live in blocks, estates or a group of properties where the Board has agreed that rehousing them  would enable the Association to complete major works, refurbishment, regeneration, or resolve any other significant management issue.  When this category is applied, the scope of homes it covers and reason will be outlined. The decision to apply this category is reviewed on an annual basis.

Priority Group 4 – Under-Occupation transfers

This refers to tenants who are giving up their home to move to a smaller property.

For more information please contact our Customer Service Team on 0300 131 7300.

You can register your property on www.homeswapper.co.uk which is a national database of council and housing association tenants who wish to swap homes. 

We have properties in Hackney, Islington, Waltham Forest, Camden, Haringey and Tower Hamlets. If you wish to move to a different area, you can make a direct application to the local council of your desired area. However, whether you are accepted will depend on if you have a local connection with that borough.

Sheltered Housing is the term usually given to a scheme of properties purpose built for older people. Schemes usually consist of a number of self contained units with emergency alarms and access to a live-in or remote warden service. Very often a variety of activities are arranged for residents which they can take part in if they want to.

The term can also apply to any similar permanent housing scheme purpose built for a particular client group where there is no age restriction. For example there are sheltered housing schemes for adults with learning disabilities or for those with long term mental health issues. You may also come across schemes for people who have long term substance misuse issues.

Shared Ownership is an affordable home ownership scheme which makes it easier for first time buyers to get on the property ladder.