Apply for housing
Our new tenants come to us from the Ministry of Social Development’s Public Housing Register.
We don’t have many vacancies so this helps us allocate homes to people most in need.
If you’re on the register, you’ll be eligible for MSD’s income related rent subsidy when you’re offered public housing.
This means you’ll pay no more than a percentage of your income on rent - MSD pays the difference between what you pay, and market rent.
How to apply
You need to be on the Ministry of Social Development’s Public Housing Register to be offered community housing.
You can apply to get on the register by calling Work and Income on 0800 559 009.
You can find out more about the register on the Work and Income website.
What then?
MSD will assess your needs and decide whether you’re accepted on to the register.
They will let you know if you are placed on the register.
We’ll get in touch if we have a suitable vacancy, to see if what we have meets your needs.
If you don’t hear from us you might hear from someone else - all community and public housing providers have access to the register.
FAQs
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ŌCHT accepts new tenants from the Ministry of Social Development’s Social Housing Register. We don’t have many vacancies, so this helps us allocate them to those most in need.
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People who are eligible to be on the MSD Social Housing Register can be considered for an ŌCHT home.
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You’ll find out when you apply to be on the Ministry of Social Development’s Social Housing Register. Call 0800 559 009 or, if you’re a senior citizen, call 0800 552 002. You can find out more information on the MSD website.
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Being on the register means your application is available to other housing providers who may be able to help you. If we find a property that may suit your needs, we’ll get in touch to talk in more detail.
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We have more than 2300 homes in most areas of Christchurch, from Belfast to New Brighton, to Lyttelton and Akaroa.
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Most are one bedroom units, and most of our households are of single people or couples - but we’re building more units for families. Most of our homes are in housing complexes rather than standalone.
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We can’t tell you if, or when, you’ll get a home with us. We have few vacancies and low tenant turnover, and there’s a lot of need for our homes. When we have a vacancy, we look for applicants from MSD’s Social Housing Register.
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Tenants who come to us from the MSD Social Housing Register typically pay no more than 25% of their income on rent; MSD pays the difference with what’s called the Income Related Rent Subsidy. MSD tells ŌCHT what rent to charge you based on a variety of factors, including the market rent for the area and the subsidy it provides.
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We don’t provide emergency accommodation. For immediate assistance, please contact Work and Income on 0800 559 009.
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Our properties aren’t suitable for dogs. In some cases, we can accommodate registered disability assist dogs. We may allow one cat per household.
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ŌCHT can arrange interpreting services where necessary. Please contact us on 0800 624 456 or at admin@ocht.org.nz and we can support you through the process.