Housing Allocations - Allocation System
Choice Based Lettings- a New Way of Allocating Social Housing
North West Leicestershire District Council has recently introduced Choice Based Lettings which is a new way of allocating council housing and some housing association properties. All the following seven district councils of Leicestershire are combining to offer this service:-
- Blaby
- Charnwood
- Harborough
- Hinckley & Bosworth
- Melton
- North West Leicestershire
- Oadby and Wigston
To find out more or view the properties available go to the website www.leicestershire-homes.org.uk
Preference for homes in North West Leicestershire will still be given to people who live in or have a connection to the district but at least 10% of all empty homes will be open to any home seeker registered with one of the seven Leicestershire Councils listed above.
Each Council will still have their own housing register and will use similar rules for assessing the housing need of transfer home seekers (existing tenants) and new home seekers (new housing applicants) into 4 broad priority bands. The new system will make it easier for people who need to move to another local authority area for employment or family reasons.
Choice based lettings gives people on the local council housing register the chance to select homes they are interested in from those that become available. Available properties will be advertised every fortnight on the internet, in libraries, council offices, advice centres and some local shops. It would then be the responsibility of the home seeker to decide if they wanted to apply or ‘bid’ for a particular property. You can only bid for properties you are eligible for and this would depend on your household size and needs. For example flats for single people and larger accommodation for families. Support will be given to vulnerable applicants to make sure that they do not miss out on potential homes that they might be eligible for. Home seekers will still need to have registered on the North West Leicestershire District Council's housing register or the register of any of the other Council’s taking part in the Leicestershire Choice Based Lettings scheme to be able to bid for a property they are interested in.
Once a choice is made and a ‘bid’ is submitted the home seeker will be told what position they are in on the shortlist. This position may change as other home seekers place bids. It will be possible to change a ‘bid’ to another property if that will improve the home seekers chance of getting a property. At the end of each advertising period, the top applicant from those that applied will be offered the property once eligibility checks have been made. So that people can make the best choices for themselves and see what is happening, the results of each advert will be printed with the next set of adverts.
This way of allocating social housing gives people living in or looking for a council home more choice. Views from applicants who are already involved in Choice Based Lettings schemes in other areas outside North West Leicestershire describe them as being easier to understand, fairer and transparent.
People on the current housing register are being contacted by the Council and will be asked to complete a new style housing registration form, this is available below. To transfer to the new scheme you must complete and return the new form and provide any supporting information required. Help and guidance is available from the Housing Advice Team. Once your application has been registered we will write to you again towards the end of January 2011 with details of your housing priority band and a Choice Based Lettings Scheme Guide explaining where you can view the property adverts and how to bid for them.
If you have any questions about Choice Base Lettings do not hesitate to contact the Housing Advice team on;
freephone 0800 183 0357 or at housing.advice@nwleicestershire.gov.uk
To find out more about choice based lettings go to the website www.leicestershire-homes.org.uk or to apply, go to the following link http://www.nwleics-homes.org.uk/Data/ASPPages/1/280.aspx
Related Documents (2)
Leicestershire Choice Based Lettings Areas of Choice Booklet. (PDF Document, 0.2 Mb)- Allocations Policy 2011 (PDF Document, 0.4 Mb)
Frequently Asked Questions (15)
There are some people who are not eligible to be included on the housing register. These are
- people who are subject to Immigration Control under the 1996 Asylum and Immigration Act.
- people from abroad who are not subject to immigration control but who are not habitually resident in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland
- people (including members of their household) whose behaviour makes them unsuitable to be a tenant.
For more detailed information contact Housing Advice Team on Freephone: 0800 183 0357
To apply to join the housing register you must be over the age of 16 years. You will need to complete a housing application form. The same form applies to those wanting to rent and those interested in shared ownership and other home purchase options. Tenants wanting to transfer should also fill in the same form.
To request a review you should contact the Housing Advice Team within 21 days of the date you are notified of the decision and the reason for it. You may provide additional information in writing that you wish to be taken into account when the review is carried out. You will normally be advised of the outcome of the review within 8 weeks.
In January, we will write to every home seeker on the housing register and will send out a Choice-based Lettings Scheme Guide that will explain in detail where you can view homes that are advertised and how to bid for any that you are interested in and would be eligible for. Help will also be available from our Housing Advice Team and the the Council's website.
We will be dealing with hundreds of new housing application forms over the coming weeks so please be patient as you will not hear back from us immediately. Once we have completed our assessment of your housing priority, we will write to you again in January 2011 with important details about the new ‘choice based lettings’ service and how you can use it to look for a new home and make a bid to be offered it.
If you have not heard back from us by 31 January 2011, please contact the office to let us know.
It is important that you tell us of any changes in your circumstances so that we can amend your housing application. We will tell you if this results in your housing priority moving to a different band. If you change bands your registration date may change. We will make checks before confirming any offer of accommodation and if your circumstances are different to those on your application form, the offer may be withdrawn and your application suspended until you have provided details of your new circumstances.
Once we have received your housing application form we will check that all the information and documents requested have been sent in. If anything is missing we will contact you to let you know. Provided we have all the information needed, your details will be put onto the computer system and then assessed in relation to your housing need. You will be placed in one of four bands (Priority, High, Medium or Low). Priority band represents the highest need to move while the low band is the lowest priority.
We will send you a letter NO LATER THAN 28 JANUARY 2011 advising you which band you have been placed in, your home seeker registration number, and what type and size of property you are eligible to apply for. If you disagree with the assessment, the letter will explain how you can ask for a review.
Once you have filled in your housing application form you will need to provide all the information and documents requested (see the “Home Seekers Supporting Evidence Checklist” enclosed with the form for examples of what is needed).
You must complete the new style housing application form even if you have only recently applied using our old form. If you do not return the new housing application form then your application details will not be transferred onto the new scheme. If you no longer need help finding a new home tell us and we will cancel your housing application details.
Photographic proof of identity will normally be required in every case e.g. by supplying a copy of your photo driving licence, valid Passport or bus pass etc. If you have no photo ID, a copy of your original Birth Certificate or National Insurance Card will be accepted provided it is accompanied by a passport sized photo that is countersigned on the back by someone who can confirm your identity.
Please do not send your original photo I.D
Our staff are trained to help you complete the form. For further advice contact North West Leicestershire Housing Advice Team. Freephone: 0800 183 0357, or email housing.advice@nwleicestershire.gov.uk or visit our offices at Whitwick Road, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 3FJ
Leicestershire Choice Based Lettings is the new way of allocating social housing through choice, giving home seekers a greater say over where you live. Home seekers on the housing register can bid for homes that are advertised each fortnight. North West Leicestershire District Council is working in partnership with six other councils and more than 20 Housing Associations across Leicestershire so that home seekers can choose properties in more areas.
The new way of allocating homes will start in February 2011.
Any home seekers on the Council’s housing register will be able to apply for any advertised property for which they are eligible.
Yes. Once a year, normally on the anniversary of your housing application, you will be sent a renewal form, which you must complete and return by the due date stated on the letter. If you do not return the form, we will write and tell you that your housing application has been cancelled.
Last updated: Fri 10th June, 2011 @ 12:33
