Applying For Housing

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to apply for housing with Argyle Street Housing Co-operative, you must meet the following basic criteria:

Not be misogynist, racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, disrespectful of any kind of disability, ageist, or in any way intolerant of difference or personal belief of any kind¹.
Be at least 18 years old.
Have evidence of the right to rent in the UK.
Be in housing need².
Not be in ownership of other property³.
Be willing to participate in the running of the co-operative
Understand and adhere to our rules and policies.

Application process

There four stages in the application process for housing with the Argyle Street Housing Co-operative

Attend an Information Session
Fill out an application form
Attend a shortlist interview
Apply for a vacant room in a shared house, or for a flat, when they become available.

Information Session

The Information Session is usually held once a month on either the last, or second-to last, Saturday morning of the month.

In the session we discuss how ASH Co-op applies the principles and values of the co-operative movement, our ethics and some of the more crucial aspects of how we operate

The date of the next session is August 29, 2026.

Application form

After the Information Sessions, if you feel that the Co-op is the place for you and that you meet the eligibility requirements, we will send you an application form to fill out and return to us.

On receipt of your completed form we will carry out an initial assessment of your eligibility for membership and if accepted we will contact you inviting you to a shortlist interview.

Please note: all information contained within your form will be treated with the strictest observation of GDPR legislation and will not be made available to any party outside of ASH Co-op

Short-list Interview

The shortlist interview is where current ASH Co-op members speak to you in person about your application specifically in relation to how you meet the eligibilty criteria for membership.

There are normally two members conducting the interview who

Demonstrate housing need
To show that you understand the importance of equality and diversity
To demonstrate that you understand how ASH Co-op works and how you will participate
To demonstrate an awareness of our working groups and how you may be likely to participate

Success at the Short-list interview puts you on our shortlist of housing candidates. The process is not finished yet though because we can only house applicants when a vacancy becomes available

If you have not been successful in your shortlist interview do not despair. You will be notified in writing with a statement as to why your application was rejected and offered an opportunity to re-apply starting with attendance at another Information Session.

Waiting for a Vacancy

We can only house new members when an existing member leaves and the room has become vacated. There is no telling when this is likely to be, so please be aware that, even after getting this far in the application process, it may require some time to wait before finding a place at ASH Co-op.

You should also take the time to periodically check our vacancies list which do come up you know. Be patient and don't despair.