The first step in becoming a member of BCCH is to check you meet the following criteria:

We welcome anyone who meets the criteria below to apply to become a member of Black Country Cohousing. But when we have limited capacity, we give preference to applications from Disabled, Neurodivergent, and LGBTQ+ people, and expect all members to either already have an understanding of how both the social model of Disability and Queer theory help liberate these groups or be willing to learn.

Members must:

Not have additional housing which meets their housing need - this includes its size, accessibility, location, and affordability to run. If a member has a single property which they currently cannot sell due to legal or financial reasons and they cannot live in it, we will deem them suitable. We would not accept someone with a rental portfolio or holiday homes in the UK.
Willing to undergo background checks - including sharing social media use prior to joining, DBS checks. We are not against allowing someone who has a criminal record, each case will be looked at and discussed on its own merit.
Must not be currently bankrupt (we will overlook past bankruptcies)
Must have the right to become a company director within the UK
Planning to stay in the community long-term (after the probationary period of 6 months)
Must have right to rent in the UK
Willing to live in an egalitarian community
Must be over 18 years of age (this is required as members under 18 are unable to have a tenancy in their own name - we are very welcoming of children of members coming to live at BCCH, but they would not be members in their own right until they reach 18)

If you meet these criteria and want to join please contact us at blackcountrycohousing@gmail.com for a membership form.

Once this is completed we can meet with you in person or online. We then carry out background checks, and require two references. This process may take up to 6 weeks. Please note that we currently have no site as yet, and becoming a member does not guarantee that we will be successful and you are still responsible for your own housing needs.

If you don't meet the criteria but are still interested in the project please contact us!