Types of houses provided
The size of the housing we give you depends on the number of people who will be living there. You can put your name down for any of the following types of housing providing they are available in your chosen areas and match your household’s bedroom entitlements.
- Detached house:
- A house with 2 or more bedrooms on 1 block of land.
- Duplex:
- Usually 2 units, with 1–3 bedrooms in each, divided by a common wall, located on 1 block of land.
- Cluster house:
- A number of attached or separate homes, with 2–4 bedrooms in each, located within a housing development.
- Townhouse:
- 3 or more units next to each other, with 1–4 bedrooms in each, divided by common walls.
- Apartment / flat / unit:
- Usually a complex of 2 or more storeys, with 1–3 bedrooms in each.
- Seniors’ unit:
- For people over the age of 55, usually in a complex of 1–2 storeys, with 1–2 bedrooms in each.
Bedroom entitlements
The number of bedrooms you get may change depending on the:
- age
- gender
- number of people within your household
You must tell us if there are any changes to your household or housing need. Your eligibility and housing need will be reviewed again before we offer you housing.
- 1 bedroom:
- single person
- a couple
- 2 bedrooms:
- 2 single people sharing
- single or a couple with 1–2 children
- 3 bedrooms:
- 3 single people sharing
- single or a couple with 2–4 children
- 4 bedrooms:
- 4 single people sharing
- single or a couple with 3–6 children
- 5 bedrooms (reviewable property):
- 5 single people sharing
- single or a couple with 4–8 children
- 6 bedrooms (reviewable property):
- 6 single people sharing
- single or a couple with 5–10 children
- 7 bedrooms (reviewable property):
- 7 single people sharing
- Single or a couple with 6–12 children
- Seniors’ unit:
- single person over 55 years
- a couple over 55 years
Things that can affect your bedroom entitlements
- Changes to your household—you must tell us of these changes straight away.
- Usually no more than 2 children of the same gender will share a bedroom. If the bedroom is big enough 3 children of the same gender can share.
- If there is an age gap of 7 years or more between children of the same gender, each child will get their own bedroom.
- If someone in the property is 3 months or more pregnant (confirmed with a doctor’s certificate), enough bedrooms will be provided to allow for a baby of either gender.
- Couples are given 1 bedroom only. People over the age of 18 will receive a separate bedroom.
- If someone in the property has regular custody of children, these children will be included when determining your bedroom entitlements. You will need to show us evidence of the custody arrangements.
Talk to your nearest Housing Service Centre if someone in the house needs an extra bedroom for:
- Health, medical or disability related equipment
- support needs
- a live-in carer.
Accepting housing with fewer bedrooms
If we believe that serious overcrowding will not happen—you can put your name down for housing with fewer bedrooms to help increase your chance of getting a property sooner.
If you request and end up getting smaller housing, transferring to larger housing will not be allowed unless there are special circumstances. You will need to complete an Acceptance of smaller housing form (PDF, 90KB) and take this to your nearest Housing Service Centre.
Note: Offers of housing will still depend on the availability of housing in the areas you have listed and the number of people ahead of you on the housing register with a higher need.
