Rent With Us (FAQs)

The rents we charge depend on the type and size of the property, as well as how it was funded when we purchased it. For a one-bedroom flat, you will pay approximately £71 a week, a two-bedroom flat around £78 and for a three-bedroom house you will pay on average around £108 per week.

For general needs housing, we house people either directly from our waiting list (based on application date order) or through our Nominations Agreement with Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

You can apply to join our waiting list by completing an application form. Please contact us for advice or if you have any difficulties completing the form.

Each year around 100 properties become available for letting. As a rough guide, applicants on our waiting list would expect to wait around 8 to 12 months for a flat and about 2 years for a house, although this depends on the type of property, its location and how many actually become available.

Along with completing your application form, you need to include the following information (as photos or PDF documents) – without these we cannot process your application. We need a copy of the documents for each person to be rehoused with you – who is aged 18 or over:

Proof of identity

• Passport or national identity card

If you do not have either of these we need any two of the following:

• Photographic driving licence (full or provisional)
• Birth certificate (full version – short version is not acceptable)
• Proof of benefits letter – dated within the last 3 months

If you do not have the above documents please email us at allocations@epichousing.co.uk for further advice.

Proof of address

Two documents which are dated within the last 3 months which show the address you are currently living at, such as:

• Bank statement
• Utility bill
• Phone bill
• Benefit letter

Proof of National Insurance Number

• This can be found on your wage slip, or on a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions or HMRC.

Proof of income

• We need to see proof of all income such as wages from employment, Universal Credit, Child Benefit, Tax Credit, other benefits, etc. You can send us your wage slip, benefit award letter or a bank statement showing the income going into your account.

Proof of children who will live in the household

• If any children are to be rehoused with you, we need to see either their birth certificate or proof of Child Benefit.

Before making a final assessment we will need to carry out an interview and may arrange to visit you at your current address, where appropriate. This is so we can explore your housing needs in more detail. This appointment takes around 30- 60 minutes during which we will discuss:

• Your current housing needs.
• Your financial and employment situation.
• Reasons why you are applying for an EPIC Housing property.
• Any current medical problems or support needs.
• Your property needs.

If your application is successful you will be placed on our ‘live’ waiting list. We offer available properties to applicants in order of their application date. We will text you when a property is available to view and give you 24 hours to decide whether you wish to accept it.

You can reject up to two offers of accommodation after which your application would be cancelled. Should you later decide to reapply you will need to wait 6 months after the refusal of the second property.

Properties are offered as soon as we are notified an existing tenant wishes to move out. Viewings may take place while the current tenant is in residence, but these will be accompanied by a member of our Housing Team. If the property is vacant a member of staff will view the property with you.

If you wish to accept the property, we will expect you to sign the Tenancy Agreement immediately and pay your first month’s rent. We will provide you with other information, such as a current gas safety certificate, electrical safety certificate, Energy Performance Certificate and details of the utilities suppliers. We will also set up a plan for paying your rent, which must be paid in advance.