If you are an Octavia tenant and you want to move to another home then you can apply for a transfer to another property if:

• You are a permanent tenant with a secure or assured tenancy
• You have held the tenancy for at least 12 months

However, you need to know that opportunities for transfer are very limited. Each year only a small number of properties become available each year. Even tenants with quite a high level of housing need may wait several years for rehousing. This is especially true if a large family sized property is needed as these are in the shortest supply.

To improve your chances of moving you need to consider other ways that could help you find a new home

Buying a home may be more affordable than you think. There are a number of schemes designed to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder. These include schemes where you can part buy part rent a property and some schemes particularly aimed at helping key workers.

See information on low cost home ownership

You can search for your own home by finding some one else who is looking for a move and who is interested in swapping homes with you. When you have found a partner to exchange with then you apply formally to Octavia and your partners landlord to carry out a mutual exchange. Once both landlords have formally agreed to the exchange taking place you can complete the legal steps to become the tenant of your new property.

See information on mutual exchanges