Choice based lettings  

The Greater Haven Gateway sub-region consists of Seven Local authorities who will be introducing a common housing register and choice based lettings scheme, which will effect those in the local authorities mentioned below who are registered for housing.

The government has asked all local authorities to introduce a new method of letting social housing by 2010 called Choice Based Lettings. 

The main difference to the existing process is that available homes will be advertised and you will be able to express an interest in the homes that suit your requirements.  Properties will still be offered to those assessed as being in the most need.

The new approach will give you a greater choice in selecting where you wish to live and is designed to give you a true understanding of your housing options.  Expected to operate from January 2009, Choice Based Lettings will run right across the Greater Haven Gateway sub-region of the East of England.

The authorities included in this scheme are Babergh, Braintree, Colchester, Maldon, Mid Suffolk, Ipswich, and Suffolk Coastal.  Tendring Council have deferred their decision to join the scheme at the present time.  We will use a shared application form, common allocations policy and a shared computer system.

A new common Allocations Policy has been produced to use with the Choice Based Lettings scheme. 

When we introduce Choice Based Lettings we will be moving from our current system of allocating  to a new system of five bands. We will advertise the majority of our empty properties and you will then be able to tell us which properties you are interested in, giving you more choice over where you live and more control over when you move. 

We will be able to offer the property to the interested applicant in the highest need (in the highest band). If two applicants in the same band are interested in the same property, it will be offered to the applicant who has been waiting the longest. 

In October/November this year we will be asking you to re-register your transfer application if you are still interested in being housed.  We are going to ask you to complete an on-line application form as we need to ask you more questions.  If you do not have access to a computer we will give you a telephone number to ring and we will complete the form with you over the phone.  We will then determine your banding from the information you have given us and you will be notified of your banding for the Greater Haven Gateway scheme.

Your present transfer application will remain with us and we will continue to allocate as normal until the scheme is introduced from January 09 onwards. There will be a contact number to ring in case you have any queries. The letter will also tell you about drop in sessions where you can come to talk about your circumstances and band with a housing needs officer.

Moat will continue to operate it`s own transfer list and if you do not re-register for the Gateway to Homechoice scheme you will remain on this list but most of our properties will be advertised through the Gateway to Homechoice scheme.

From October onwards we will be able to release more details about the scheme and how it will work. Everyone on the register will be contacted with details on how to use the new system.  There will be free training available.

For further information please contact our Customer Services on 0845 600 1006 or email us on customer@moat.co.uk.