Choice Based Lettings

www.tandridge-homechoice.org.uk

Tandridge District Council has introduced a new system for allocating properties known as Choice Based Lettings from June 2008. This will be achieved through two complimentary schemes, Tandridge Home Choice and East Surrey Home Choice.

What is Choice Based Lettings?

Choice based lettings - or CBL - is a new approach to letting homes. The aim is to make the lettings process more transparent and make it easier for people to apply for housing with councils and housing associations. This system has replaced the former housing waiting list system.

CBL aims to help applicants take a greater role in choosing their home. Like in the private rented sector, available social rented (council and housing association) homes are advertised and applicants can express their interest in advertised homes in the areas where they would like to live.

Please note that the Council will no longer offer properties to applicants just because they are on its housing lists. You will only be offered the tenancy of a particular property if you have registered a 'bid' for it.

The key features of the scheme are as follows:

• Every week, from 00:00hrs Friday morning, we will advertise all vacant council and housing association homes in Tandridge.
• Eligible applicants on the Tandridge Housing Register will be able to 'bid' for these homes.
• Interested applicants will have until 23:59hrs Wednesday night of the following week to apply for advertised homes.
• Applications for these properties can be made through an interactive website or through an automated telephone service. Full instructions on how to access the system are provided in a separate guide within this pack.
• Once the deadline has passed, we will have a list of interested applicants for each home advertised.
• The highest placed eligible applicant will be nominated to the landlord (the Council or housing association)
• The landlord will check the applicant's details and, if they are satisfied, a preliminary offer will be made.
• The following week we will provide some feedback about the properties such as how many people bid, what band the successful applicant was in and how long they had been waiting.

How to Bid:

If you are on the housing register, you can bid:

- By calling 0845 270 1908 (this is charged at a local rate)
- On the website - www.tandridge-homechoice.org.uk

Information about properties can be heard by calling our property information line on 08459 400 473.

Please see the 'Using Tandridge HomeChoice' Booklet below for more details on how to bid.

• Using Tandridge Home Choice

If you need help bidding, a copy of the user guide or more information on Home Choice in Tandridge please contact the Housing Needs Team and staff will ensure that you get the support you need. Details on how to contact us are located at the bottom of this page.

If you have not joined the housing register yet click on the link below for more information about how to do so:

• Housing Needs Register

What is East Surrey Home Choice?

East Surrey Home Choice is a sub regional choice based lettings scheme that operates alongside Tandridge Home Choice.

The four East Surrey Councils - Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge have joined together to create East Surrey Home Choice. In December 2006, £87,000 of government funding was secured to develop the scheme.

The aim of the scheme is to help housing applicants apply for social rented homes located in any of the four East Surrey authorities. At least ten percent of all social rented homes that become available each year will be made available for cross-boundary moves. This means, for example, that an applicant on the Tandridge Housing Register will be able to apply for East Surrey Home Choice advertised homes located in any of the four East Surrey authorities.

The East Surrey Councils are in the process of developing the scheme in detail. Here is a summary of how East Surrey Home Choice will work:

• Each of the East Surrey authorities will put at least ten percent of its annual vacant social rented homes into East Surrey Home Choice.
• These properties will be advertised weekly.
• Eligible applicants on all of the East Surrey Council's housing registers will be able to apply for these East Surrey homes.
• Interested applicants will have until an agreed deadline to apply for advertised homes.
• Once the deadline has passed, we will have a list of interested applicants for each East Surrey Home advertised. We will then nominate the applicants on the list to the Council or housing association for the property in accordance with an East Surrey Allocation Policy.

More information

If you have any queries about the Tandridge or East Surrey HomeChoice schemes please contact the Council's Housing Needs Section on 01883 732825 / 01883 732836 or e-mail housingneeds@tandridge.gov.uk