Glossary of Terms

Choice based lettings

Choice Based Letting (CBL) is an alternative method of allocating housing. It gives you more choice in where you may be allocated a property.

The system is still based on housing need therefore to be considered for vacancies, you must have registered for a Housing Online account and submitted a housing application. Your application will be assessed to determine your housing need and you will be allocated the appropriate banding. Once this has been completed, you will be able to register your interest in properties for rent.

Vacancies will be advertised weekly online. The advert will include information about the property including rent costs and any special features. You will be able to register an interest in all properties which meet your needs.

Register an interest

This is the process where you can select and register for a property that meets your needs and you wish to be considered for. Registering an interest does not guarantee that you will be offered the property. You will be added to the list of other interested applicants until the advert has closed on a Monday evening. After it has closed, the Housing Officer will assess the applicants and the property will be allocated in accordance with our allocation policy.

Banding letter

This is the letter issued once your application has been assessed and prioritised. It will detail which priority banding you have been placed in and what this means. Once you are in receipt of this letter, you will be able to register an interest on available properties.

Auto-Register

Auto-Register is a method to enable a registration of interest to be placed for you without the need for you to physically do it yourself.

You can opt into this service when you apply. This means that any property that matches the selected areas and property size will be registered automatically.

If you have been awarded a Band A, auto-register will be placed against your application where you have failed to actively register an interest in suitable properties. You will be allowed 3 months to manage your own interests but failure to secure accommodation within that time, may lead to the Housing Officer placing the application on Auto-Register. In these cases, your areas of choice and property size will still be used to register an interest in suitable vacancies. You can still register an interest for any other properties you deem suitable ensuring you still have a choice in your allocation.

Being placed on auto-register will be assessed by the Housing Officer and in conjunction with your needs.

Offers made by auto-register will be deemed as suitable. There is an appeal procedure for any offer not considered by the applicant to be suitable. This is detailed in the offer letter.

If you have received assistance from our Team to apply and have not registered yourself on Housing Online you may now wish to do so in order that you can manage your own expressions of interest in properties being advertised. Otherwise you will automatically be registered for the properties which match your area of choice and housing need.

Misc