Helping you to move to a smaller property

If you are in a Grand Union Housing Group property and would like to look to downsize we can offer financial assistance to customers who transfer to a property within the Group. This is a one-off payment depending on the number of bedrooms and type of your current home and the property you move to.

How much financial assistance is available?

This is a one-off payment of £1,500.
Please note: that this scheme is budget limited and no payment can be made if the budget has been exhausted.

Who is eligible for the payment?

Transferring customers

Customers who  transfer from a property to a smaller empty property within Grand Union Housing Group.

When we write to you to offer a transfer move we will advise if we can make the payment to you.

If you need practical help with your move, for example arranging removals, we can refer you to our tenancy support service, who will assess what assistance can be offered.

Mutual Exchange customers
Only existing Grand Union customers who are mutual exchanging and moving to another Grand Union property will be eligible for the Fresh Start scheme payment. Existing customers will only be eligible for the payment if all parties within the exchange are moving to a property which is the correct size for their households’ needs.

The Mutual Exchange procedure takes precedent over the Fresh Start Scheme and the usual conditions for a Mutual Exchange being permitted to proceed, such as a clear rent account, still apply.

Who is not eligible for the payment?

The payment will not be made to those customers who:

• are tenants or licensees of homeless emergency accommodation who are offered a move to alternative accommodation
• are sole tenants transferring from two or more separate properties to one vacant property
• have previously received an incentive payment in the last two years
• Independent Living, Market or Intermediate Rent tenancies (Assured Shorthold periodic)
• are subject to a Notice of Seeking Possession, Possession order or other legal action for any non-rent arrears related matter.  This includes action taken by Grand Union or other agencies against the customer, household members or invited visitors due to anti-social behaviour, for example community protection warning and notice, criminal behaviour order or injunction order
• do not provide access for a pre-termination inspection to be carried out by a Grand Union surveyor
• are moving to a different Landlord and will no longer be a tenant of Grand Union.

Can the payment be reduced?

Any money owed to Grand Union Housing Group is deducted from the payment. Examples include:

• rent arrears
• repairs and damage the customer is responsible for
• removing items left in the property by the customer
• removing or making good unsatisfactory alterations the customer has done.

Before you move please advise us if you have carried out any alterations to your home as we may need to inspect the property.

The payment will be made once your move has taken place and you have handed over the keys to your old property.

In all instances, where there is not an outstanding credit on the rent account of four weeks or more, Grand Union request that four weeks worth of rent is deducted from the payment and added to the new rent account.

Will rent free weeks be given?

We are unable to offer rent free weeks for a move.

I am interested in this, how can I find out more.

For more information please contact us.