Choice Based Lettings

Choice based letting makes the allocating of social housing properties simpler and more transparent. It also allows applicants to make a choice about where they live.

Introduction

In December 2008, Hertsmere Borough Council went 'live' with Choice Based Lettings along with Three Rivers Council, Watford Borough Council, Welwyn Hatfield Council and St.Albans Borough Council, who adopted the Choice Based Lettings system in May 2009.  Choice Based Lettings (CBL) is part of a wider government aim of enabling people to have more choice about where they live.

What is Choice Based Lettings?

The key characteristics of CBL are that properties which become available for let are advertised in a variety of ways such as on the internet and in council offices.

Advertisements will contain photographs of properties with useful information such as the rent details, Council Tax banding and neighbourhood facilities. Applicants interested in particular properties can then register their interest in these properties by making a “bid”.

There will be simple rules for bidding, and various ways to bid including:

• Telephoning
• Text message
• E-mail
• Through The Herts Choice Homes website

The property will then be allocated to the person with the highest priority according to the Councils Allocation Policy.

What are the benefits of Choice Based Lettings?

Choice Based Letting makes the allocating of social housing properties simpler and more transparent. It also allows applicants to make a choice about where they live.

As well as giving you the opportunity to choose which properties you want to be considered for, we will also provide you with feedback on:

• the successful bids
• the number of bids received for each property, and
• the priority of the successful applicant.

No personal details about applicants will ever be published

Also by working with other local authorities we hope to be able to offer applicants the opportunity of moving to neighbouring areas.

What are the limits of Choice Based Letting?

Although Choice Based Lettings gives applicants more choice about where they live - it doesn't increase the amount of housing available from Housing Associations. However, by advertising all our vacant properties you can see how many properties each week we have available for letting.

Where can I get more information about Choice Based Lettings?

If you want to find out more information about this government initiative, visit the department of Communities and Local Government . Please click on the link to download the new Choice Based Lettings allocation policy.