Downsizing your council home
A Home that Fits is our downsizing scheme for council tenants who want to move to a smaller home. We help with the practical arrangements to help you move and offer a financial incentive. This can be an exciting new chapter and a fresh start for many tenants who, for example, have children that have grown up and moved out.
The team will work with you to find out what you want in a new home - whether you have specific health requirements, or just want to be closer to family and friends.
By moving out of a larger home and into a home that fits your circumstances, you will also free up a home for families in need of more space.
Reasons for downsizing
People downsize for all sorts of reasons.
It can be a real opportunity to make some changes, save money by reducing bills or have a home that’s easier maintain. Likewise, it can be simply because you want a change in your life - to live somewhere new, nearer to family, friends or somewhere near the centre of town or local amenities.
If you are downsizing a bit later in life, it means you can move to a property better suited to your needs as you get older, so instead of having to manage stairs, maintain a large garden or having empty, rooms – you could instead move to a modern apartment, all on one level, with sustainable heating system, triple glazing and new kitchen and bathroom.
Downsizing is a chance to make new memories in a new home, and near people that mean most to you.
Eligibility
The downsizing scheme is open to tenants living in a council property with one or more spare bedrooms who want to move to a smaller property
Housing association tenants who live in the Borough of Wandsworth may also be considered subject to approval from your landlord.
If you are aged 55 years or over, you can also choose to downsize to sheltered accommodation.
Incentives
We have a range of incentives to help you move to a smaller home. For example, we might offer:
- Cash incentives of between £2,000 and £5,000 (subject to criteria, terms and conditions)
- Priority moves into some of our newly built homes in the borough
- A spare bedroom, if you vacate a property with two or more spare bedrooms (for example, you could move from a four-bedroom into a two-bedroom property so you still have a spare room for family and friends to visit)
- Practical help to assist you throughout your move, such as reassembling furniture
- To assist with new white goods
- To rehouse you and an adult child into separate properties, where you move from a large family sized property.
Incentives are agreed on an individual case by case basis.
Alongside these benefits to you, downsizing helps us give families who are currently in overcrowded accommodation a more suitable home too.
Contact us
If you would like further information about the downsizing scheme, get in touch. We can tell you more about the scheme and answer any of your questions.
If you want to downsize, we can do anything from finding the best property match for you, arranging removals and sorting out financial incentive payments.
For worry-free downsizing complete our enquiry form or call 020 8871 6161.
Apply
You can apply online. If you need help with your application, call 020 8871 6161 or complete our enquiry form.