Apartments to Rent or Buy
Uniquely, Rockdale Village has apartments to buy AND apartments to rent. Our properties are for those aged 60+ and residents must be able to live independently
Our Locations
Our apartments are set within two sites, either side of Sevenoaks High Street.
Rockdale Road
Our main site is Rockdale Road (just behind The Stag theatre and cinema) which features a mixture of rental and leasehold apartments.
This is where you can also find The Pantry (our 5-day a week restaurant) and the Beatrice Wilson common room, which is where the majority of our social events are held.
Rockdale Road is also the site of our nursing and residential care home, Rockdale House.
Akehurst Lane
Our second site is Akehurst Lane. Set between Waitrose and Knole Park, this site is smaller and quieter and contains leasehold apartments only.
Akehurst Lane is also home to a second, smaller common room.
In total, we have 180 apartments set within 9 uniquely charactered buildings, meaning there is a Rockdale apartment to suit every taste and budget.
Service and Support
All independent-living residents are charged monthly Service and Support charges.
These charges cover 24-hour support for residents; the maintenance, cleaning and heating of communal areas; buildings’ maintenance and insurance for the communal areas and external areas; and gardening.
It may be possible for rent and certain services charges to be met by Housing Benefit if you are eligible.
However, Support charges are payable by all residents, even if you are in receipt of Housing Benefit.
Our rental apartments come with social housing rents and eligibility criteria applies. We have 124 rental properties, with the majority being 1-bedroom or studio apartments.
Our leasehold apartments (to buy) are available to everyone. We have 55 leasehold apartments, each with 1 or 2 bedrooms.
All residents, whether they buy or rent, enjoy all the benefits of living at Rockdale Village, including 24-hour support, a full range of social activities and access to our award-winning gardens.
Our Apartments
Rental apartments
All of our rental apartments are at Rockdale Road.
Leasehold apartments
*These buildings are at our Akehurst Lane site.
Rental Apartments
Our rental apartments are found at our main site in Rockdale Road and are situated within 4 buildings (Beatrice Wilson, Rockdale Gardens, Stable Court and The Pleasaunce). Rental apartments have either 1 bedroom or are studios. All have their own kitchens and bathrooms. Scooter charging points are available plus limited car parking spaces.
Apartments are let unfurnished and must be returned to Rockdale unfurnished.
Our rental apartments come with social rent rates and eligibility criteria applies.
Buildings
All of our rental apartments are at Rockdale Road.
Leasehold Apartments
Our leasehold apartments are found at both our main site in Rockdale Road and at Akehurst Lane. They are situated within 5 buildings (Laurie House 1875, Laurie House 2015, Summerbank, Webbs Meadow and Constant Meadow).
All apartments have either 1 bedroom or 2 bedrooms. All have their own kitchens. There are limited scooter charging points nearby, plus some limited car parking
Apartments are sold unfurnished and must be returned to Rockdale unfurnished.
All apartments must be sold via Rockdale and to a person registered on Rockdale Village’s housing register.
Buildings
*These buildings are at our Akehurst Lane site.
Eligibility & Applications
Rockdale Village’s apartments are for residents aged 60 and above. Residents must be able to live independently. Unfortunately, Rockdale Village cannot accommodate anyone with advanced dementia.
Please read our Allocations policy to see which kind of apartment you are eligible for.
Download the application form for our housing register for social rent rental apartments.
Download the application form for our housing register for leasehold apartments.
If you are unsure which form to fill in, please get in touch with our Lettings & Contracts Officer:
Available Now
The following properties are currently available to rent or buy leasehold.
If you have been accepted onto Rockdale Village’s housing register you can ‘register a bid’ for a specific property. If you fit the criteria for the property we will then contact you to arrange a viewing.
Bids are an expression of interest and are not legally or financially binding.
Bids can only be made if you have been officially accepted onto Rockdale Village’s housing register.
Rental
Social rent - Ground floor studio apartment
- 70 Beatrice Wilson Flats, Rockdale Road, Sevenoaks TN13 1JX
Register my bid
If you have been accepted onto our housing register you can ‘register a bid’ for a specific, available property. You can register a bid by filling in the form below or emailing us.
If you fit the criteria for the property, Rockdale will then contact you to arrange a viewing.
Bids are an expression of interest and are not legally or financially binding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we hope to provide clear information to help with questions about applying, eligibility, and living at Rockdale Village. Whether it’s understanding the application process, accessibility, or moving within the community, the answers are here to guide you.
Can I apply for an apartment straight away?
No. Before you can apply for a Rockdale Village apartment you must have been officially accepted onto our Housing Register. To apply to our Housing Register you must fill in one of our application forms; ‘Application Form: Social Rented Apartments in Central Sevenoaks’ or ‘Expression of Interest Form: Market Rate Rented or Leasehold Apartments in Central Sevenoaks’. Once we have received and processed your form you will be told if you have been accepted onto our Housing Register.
If you have applied to join our Register for a social rent rental apartment you will also be invited in to Rockdale Village for a face-to-face assessment interview. If you are unable to attend this interview in person we may organise for this interview to be done online.
Can I apply for rental AND leasehold?
It’s very unlikely that you would qualify for both our social rent rental accommodation Housing Register AND our leasehold Housing Register because of the specific eligibility criteria. We would strongly recommend that your read our Allocations Policy detailing eligibility criteria for social housing and apply if you are eligible. Alternatively, you can apply to join the Register for a leasehold property purchase. You can find our Allocations Policy here.
If you’d like to speak to us about your particular circumstances to get specific advice about which application might be more successful for you, we are always happy to help.
How long will I have to wait for a property?
This is tricky to answer as timings are really varied and are different for rental properties and leasehold properties.
The timing largely depends on the applicants themselves, whether they “bid” on available properties, or arrange viewings of available leasehold properties and place offers to purchase.
Applicants to our Housing Register for social rent rental properties are assessed and then ‘banded’ levels A-D according to their level of need. When a rental property becomes available, applicants with the highest level of need (Band A) will be offered it first. If there are no suitable Band A registered applicants the property will then be offered to Band B applicants, and so on. The amount of time you wait on our Housing Register will vary depending on the turnover of apartments available, your banding level, and whether you bid for and/or accept offered properties.
Applicants to our leasehold Housing Register are told of any suitably sized properties as and when they become available. Obviously, the process of buying and selling apartments can take months, so the length of your wait will depend on not just the availability of Rockdale apartments but also the speed of your buying chain.
I don’t live in Sevenoaks. Does this matter?
Not necessarily.
If you currently live in the Kent County Council area and have done so continuously for at least 3 years, OR you’ve previously lived within the Kent County Council area for 5 or more continuous years within the last 20 years, you can still apply to join our Housing Register for social rent. Alternatively, if you have a family member living in the Kent County Council area who gives you support, you may also apply.
Or finally, if you have a connection to the local area because of special circumstances (such as the need to be near specialist medical or support services that are available only in this particular district) you may also apply.
There are no geographic restrictions on leasehold property purchases.
If you’re unsure whether you fit the above criteria you are always welcome to get in touch with us to see if an application may be worthwhile.
What happens at an assessment interview, and what does ‘assessing my needs’ mean?
Rockdale Village apartments are for qualifying applicants who are still able to live independently. Certain physical or mental issues may mean we are not able to give you the support that you need. We therefore need to check that we are the best place for you before you make the move to live here.
The assessment interview is a face-to-face meeting during which senior members of our Support team will find out more about you, your medical background and your mobility. With your consent, we may request that you provide a GP summary about any issues you may be experiencing medically. All information you give us is confidential and is used only to aid and assess your application.
To find out more please read our Allocations Policy and Privacy Policy.
Do all applicants need to have an assessment interview?
No. Assessment interviews are for those applying for social rent rental apartments only.
Who decides whether I’m allowed onto Rockdale’s housing register?
All social rent applications are reviewed and assessed by a Joint Housing and Care Panel. There are no restrictions for leasehold applications, as long as the resident is of 60 years+.
If I don’t agree with the banding you’ve given me, can I appeal?
Yes. To find out more please read our allocations policy.
Are Rockdale Village flats wheelchair friendly?
Some of our apartments are wheelchair friendly, but these tend to be the leasehold apartments that are more modern and were built with more awareness of access needs of wheelchair users. Some of our older apartments are not recommended for wheelchair users.
If you are a wheelchair user we would recommend that you call us before making an application so that we can discuss your needs and options.
Can I move to a Rockdale Village apartment if I have dementia?
Rockdale Village considers each application on an individual bases and is committed to supporting residents living with mild to moderate dementia. If you develop dementia whilst living in a Rockdale apartment we will do our best to support you whilst your symptoms mean you are still able to live independently.
However, our emphasis when providing apartments for residents is on independent living, and as such we are not set up to be able to support anyone in the advanced stages of dementia. Unfortunately, we cannot accept applicants with severe cognitive decline; who require constant supervision, nursing care or specialist dementia interventions; or anyone whose personal safety would be compromised by living in our open, non-secure environment. If this describes you, you may want to investigate some other options before choosing Rockdale.
You may also want to consider that the act of moving home can accelerate the symptoms of any existing dementia. If the dementia you are experiencing is already nearing the advanced stage, you may wish to consider other options.
How do I know that the information I tell you about my finances and medical history will be treated confidentially?
All information you give us is confidential and is used only to assess and aid your application. To find out more please read our Privacy Policy.
What if I make a bid on an apartment but change my mind?
We understand that occasionally applicants will change their mind. You can simply email us to advise that you with to withdraw you bid.
Can I bring my pet when I move to Rockdale Village? And can I get a new pet when I am living at Rockdale Village?
If you are moving to Rockdale and would like to bring your pet with you, you must first contact our Lettings & Contracts Officer for permission. Rockdale Village residents may have 1 pet but there are restrictions, such as what kind of animal your pet is and whether we are satisfied that you can care for your pet yourself and have sufficient arrangements in place for your pets’ care if you are away, including for unforeseen hospital stays. We will also consider any potential impact your pet may have on existing residents, the suitability of the apartment you wish to live in for a pet, and whether your pet is on a list of dangerous or banned animals. To see our full Pet Policy please click here.
If you are already a Rockdale Village resident and would like to get a new pet the above criteria also applies. You will need to contact our Lettings & Contracts officer to get written permission before any new pet is acquired.
Can I change apartments if I’m already a Rockdale Village resident?
Yes in some circumstances you may qualify for a property transfer. To apply for a transfer you will need to support your request with written evidence from a GP or similar that a move is necessary to your day-to-day needs. If you want to transfer apartments please contact our Lettings & Contracts Officer to find out more.
What happens when I cannot live independently?
At Rockdale Village we aim to help you to live independently for as long as you feel comfortable. One of the services we offer to help you do this is Rockdale Cares, which sees our in-house carers come into your apartment to help you with some of the day-to-day tasks that may have become too difficult, such as dressing, washing, organising meals and taking medications. To find out more about Rockdale Cares click here.
However, if you feel that the time has come when you can no longer comfortably live independently you may wish to move to Rockdale House, our on-site nursing and residential care home.
Is it easy to move from a Rockdale Village apartment to Rockdale House Nursing & Residential Care Home?
Yes – we do everything we can to make the transition as smooth and stress-free as possible.
The first step is to contact our team at Rockdale House. Our Admissions & Administration Lead will guide you through the process, answer any questions, and arrange for you to meet a member of our Nursing or Care team. This helps us ensure that Rockdale House is the right setting for your needs. We will also advise you on room availability and expected timescales.
If you decide to move forward, we will support you with all aspects of the admissions process, including completing the necessary paperwork.
If you are currently renting your Rockdale Village property, you will need to give us notice that you are leaving your apartment (your notice period will be 4-8 weeks, depending on your tenancy), and your family will need to help you clear your apartment and transfer your belongings to Rockdale House.
If you are a leaseholder resident at Rockdale Village you may need to contact us so that we can put your apartment up for sale if you are not expecting to return to it. Again, your family will need to help you clear your apartment and transfer your belongings to Rockdale House.
If you do not have family or a support network, please let us know — we will do our best to offer additional support where we can.
Please note that if you move to Rockdale House before the period of notice on your rental apartment has expired or before your leasehold flat has been sold you will still be required to continue to pay rent/service charges during this period.
