Choice based letting system

Choice found letting systemCommittee report on the advantages and disadvantages of choice based letting.SummaryThis report sets out the advantages and disadvantages of moving to a choice based letting system.1. Introduction.1.1. The Communities and Local G everyplacenment Department introduced the Choice-based Letting (CBL) scheme in 2001 as a pilot programme. The programme was intended to wish choice and make more transparent the letting procedure to the consumer. Based on the Delft model, it was intended to replace the points-based allocation system with a lettings service that category seekers could agnize. The Delft model was developed in the Netherlands as a replacement for distribution model or the allocation of accessible accommodate via a wait lean. 1.2. This report is intended to highlight the2. Needs based allocation and its publishings. 2.1. Choice in the public service sector has been on the British political agendum since the late 1990s which in turn has forced a revaluation of needs- based allocations. The social rented sector, which consists of local authorities and housing associations, since the 1970s has based housing allocations on need. This has been achieved by allocating points to indicate if a household was living in temporary try-on, inappropriate accommodation due(p) to overcrowding and/or unaccept open accommodation due to disrepair and condition. 2.2. The needs based system of allocation has become established within the social housing sector as the regularity for allocating council houses, and with the use of other criteria such(prenominal)(prenominal) as hold time has endured for over thirty years within the sector including the shaping of guidance and legislation. Needs based allocations were based upon a magnetic inclination of reasonable preferences categorised as families with dependent children and pregnant women great deal occupying temporary or insecure accommodation persons with a particular need for sett led accommodation on medical or welfare grounds households whose social and economic circumstances mean that they have difficulty securing settled accommodation and Statutorily dispossessed households. 2.3. Within the research some critics have expressed issues with the needs based allocation system. The above categories show the concept of need is narrowly defined and as such has not been implemented correctly, the ability to wait for a better house ensures that those in less need can obtain better character housing. Discrimination of the sort that is unconnected to housing needs, such as racism, is still present within the system . Specific issues regarding needs based allocations include the unpopularity and complexness of the points system, the suspected tendency of applicants or landlords on a points based system to exaggerate their need in order to secure additional points. Another issue is the idea that this system results in an area becoming overrun with poor and disadvant aged households occupying a hotshot tenure, social rented housing. 2.4. Other, more general inefficiencys relating to the needs based system include the amount of offers to the consumer that are turn down, the large proportion of applications that are of date but still remain on the waiting list, areas of rugged demand that bureaucratic rationing fail to address and the opinion that the need based system is highly coercive and gives the consumer no real prospects to articulate their opinions or chose accommodation that is to their preference. 2.5. Overall the needs based or bureaucratic rationing system to some commentators and consumers is unpopular and overly complex. The consumer has no concept of the points system and those that do adopt a regime of points chasing. 3. How Choice-based Lettings works3.1 Choice-based Lettings (CBL) replaces the traditional way of allocating housing under which housing officers seek to match applicants who have priority on the waiting list to op erable vacancies. CBL allows applicants for social housing (and existing tenants seeking a move) to apply for available vacancies which are advertise widely (eg in the local newspaper or on a website). Applicants can see the full range of available properties and can ring (ie. apply) for any home to which they are matched (eg a single person would not be eligible for a three-bedroom house). The fortunate bidder is the one with the highest priority under the scheme. Authorities provide feedback that helps applicants to assess their chances of success in incidental applications. 3.2 Choice Based Lettings is a new approach to letting homes which depart make lettings arrangements more transparent and give prospective tenants more control over the lettings process. Rather than homes being allocated by the council, choice based lettings allow tenants and prospective tenants to bid for the available properties they are interested in. Available homes will be advertised on the internet a nd a bi-weekly property magazine, which will allow applicants to see what Council or housing association housing is available in the area and enable them to play a greater role in the process of selecting their home. 3.3 Choice based lettings will not increase the amount of available social housing. However, people seeking re-housing will have accurate information on how many homes are actually available, where these homes are located and their chances of being housed. As the system is much more transparent, housing applicants will have all the information necessary to make their own informed choices.BiddingAll registered home-seekers will be able to bid for the homes advertised. Bidding can be done through the internet, by phone, by text or by coupon. The property magazine will list many details including a photograph of the property, its location and the size of household that the home is suitable for. People will only be able to bid for a property suitable for their household siz e. A shortlist of bidders will be drawn up and the home-seeker in the highest priority will be offered the property. If they do not want to accept the property it will be offered to the next highest bidder and so on.Other OptionsOne of the advantages of the transparency of choice based lettings is that it helps people understand the likelihood of being re-housed, and consider options other than being housed by the Council or housing associations. There are many other alternatives to social housing available to home-seekers in Thanet and we will regularly publicise alternative options, such as the Councils Rent Deposit Scheme, and promote the role of the Housing Options Team in running(a) with home-seekers to resolve their housing difficulties.InformationApplicants have more information on their housing opportunities. They will see the number of properties available and the level of priority of successful bidders. Choice based lettings will also provide a place to advertise opportu nities for shared ownership, and hopefully in the future private rented options. While creating greater choice for people seeking re-housing, choice based lettings encourages people to take greater responsibility for their future housing. It helps people who are unlikely to get into social housing to consider other options to meet their housing requirements.SupportOther statutory and voluntary agencies that support vulnerable members of the community will have an significant role in ensuring their clients benefit from Choice Based Lettings. We will help train these agencies so they can support their clients to bid for properties. Our Housing Options team will also provide advice and support. There will be a variety of ways to bid. People will be able to choose a method which suits them. Information will be available in public areas and we will also have a procedure where people can bid on the behalf of others, e.g. relatives and friends, staff or support workers, who may have probl ems otherwise. We will monitor people who do not bid to find out why this is disaster and see if there is anything we can do to help them. There will be more publicity on choice based lettings before the immerse so that everyone is aware of the new system, and where they can go for more information and help.