Choice Based Lettings

Compass Choice Based Lettings

On Thursday 18th June 2009 Compass, the name for the Choice Based Lettings System for the Tees Valley area, was launched in Hartlepool.

From this date properties available to let are advertised in the following locations in Hartlepool:

On our website http://www.compasscbl.org.uk/

At the new Housing Options Centre located at Park Towers, Park Road (opposite the town centre)

At all Housing Hartlepool Offices.

All applicants currently registered for housing will be sent a pack explaining how to bid for properties and their banding during week commencing 1st June 2009. Click here for a copy of the Scheme Guide.

What is the Tees Valley Choice Based Lettings (CBL) Partnership?

Hartlepool Borough Council and Housing Hartlepool have joined the Tees Valley Choice Based Lettings Partnership in order to develop and implement Choice Based Lettings for Hartlepool and throughout the Tees Valley sub-region.

The Government has set a target for all local authorities to introduce CBL by 2010 and they believe the best way of doing this is to work together as a sub regional or regional partnership.

The Tees Valley CBL partnership includes all the local authorities in the Tees Valley and their partner landlords; i.e. Hartlepool Borough Council, Middlesbrough Council, Stockton Borough Council, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Darlington Borough Council, Housing Hartlepool, Erimus Housing, Tristar Homes and Coast and Country Housing.

The new Choice Based Lettings Scheme called Compass (pointing people to affordable housing in the Tees Valley) will replace the existing allocations schemes that are currently operating in each of the local authority areas.

The sub regional CBL scheme will bring together a larger pool of vacant properties, offering more choice for applicants. The resources and costs for developing and implementing the scheme will be shared between the partners, making it more efficient and cost effective to deliver. We are also hoping to bring on board more registered social landlords as the scheme develops further in the future.

Choice based Lettings is a new way of allocating social housing, available properties are advertised and applicants choose the properties that they want to be considered for rather than waiting to be made an offer. The process for assessing and prioritising applications is easier to understand using a system for banding applicants to reflect their housing need i.e. applicants with more pressing needs than others are placed in a higher band, whilst those with less urgent needs are placed in a lower band.

The new Common Allocation Policy details how available properties will be allocated, including nominations to other Registered Social landlords, and ensures that people are consistently assessed and prioritised when they apply for accommodation. To view the policy click here

More information is available in our Choice Based Lettings Newsletter No 2 and Newsletter 3

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