07 October 2008Residents on the Sevenoaks District Housing Register are set to have greater choice over where they live when Kent Homechoice goes live in the autumn.
Kent Homechoice, which is a Choice Based Lettings scheme, will for the fist time allow those on the housing register to 'bid' for rented social housing when it becomes available. Properties will be advertised every two weeks via a free sheet magazine and on-line.
Applicants can bid for homes by text message, on-line, over the telephone and via a special coupon. To 'bid' for a property means to register your interest and involves no payment. People will not be able to bid for properties until autumn 2008 when the scheme goes live.
Currently those on the housing register are offered properties when they become available based upon the level of points their application attracts.
Under Kent Homechoice, bids received for a property are short listed into points priority order and where two people have the same number of points, the property will be allocated to the applicant who has been on the Housing Register the longest.
Feedback will be published regarding allocated properties which will include the number of points the successful applicant had and the length of time they have spent on the housing register. This will help unsuccessful applicants understand their likelihood of being re-housed.
In the coming weeks West Kent Housing Association, which manages the Sevenoaks District Housing Register, will be writing to those on the Housing Register to let them know about the new scheme. Applicants wanting to stay registered for housing in this area and access Kent Homechoice must complete the re-registration form sent to them by West Kent Housing Association in July.
To find our more visit www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/kenthomechoice.
A Kent Homechoice workshop will be held at the Council Offices in Sevenoaks on 7 August 2008 to explain how the new scheme works. To register for the workshop, please contact the Social Housing Team on 01732 227465 or e-mail housing@sevenoaks.gov.uk.
Cllr Carol Clark, the Council's Cabinet Portfolio Holder for housing, says: "Kent Homechoice will provide more choice for housing register applicants and those requiring a transfer. They can view available properties online and in a free sheet magazine and can bid for where they would like to live. I would advise anyone who is interested in renting affordable social housing to complete a Sevenoaks District Housing Register application form and attend the Kent Homechoice workshop at the Council offices on 7 August 2008 to obtain an understanding of the operation of scheme."
Sevenoaks District Council's Cabinet agreed to adopt the revised Sevenoaks District Housing Register Allocations Scheme which links with Kent Homechoice at its meeting last night (Thursday 10 July 2008).
Sevenoaks District Council's housing stock was transferred to West Kent Housing Association in 1989. As part of the transfer, West Kent Housing Association took responsibility for managing the Sevenoaks District Housing Register.
All councils with responsibility for housing matters are required to introduce a Choice Based Letting scheme by 2010.
Sevenoaks District Council is part of a consortium of 12 Kent authorities that have developed Kent Homechoice, the largest Choice Based Lettings scheme in the country.
