Southend

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Choice Based Lettings?
What will change?
What is an Effective Date?
What does bidding or placing a bid mean?
How will the Council advertise empty properties?
How will I be able to express an interest in/bid for porperties I want?
How many properties can I bid for each week?
How will the Council decide who gets the property?
What if I need support to use the service?
What does Local Connection mean?
I am in a band with a time limit; what happens if I don't find a property within the time limit?
If I disagree with my Band, Effective Date or Bedroom Need what can I do?

What is Choice Based Lettings?
Choice Based Lettings – or CBL – is a new approach to letting homes. The new scheme will be called “On The Move” and will replace the current points-based system early in 2009, to give you more choice in where you live.

CBL allows you to play a greater part in the process of selecting your home. The Council will no longer match you to an empty property, but as with private renting, available homes will be advertised and you can express an interest in properties you are eligible for. In CBL expressing an interest is called “bidding”. Bidding does not involve any money.

The properties will be offered to the bidder with the highest priority (based upon “Bands” of need) with the earliest “Effective Date”. However there may be exceptions which might include where an applicant requires ground floor accommodation or where a Local Lettings Policy (LLP) is in place. LLPs are commonly used by landlords, for example, to reduce Anti-Social Behaviour or to reduce the number of children living on an estate.

CBL will not increase the number of homes available for rent and it will still be a challenge to meet the high demand for social housing. However, you will see all properties that are available and will be able to choose which suitable homes you “bid" for.

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What will change?
You will no longer be given points. Instead you will be placed into one of four Bands depending on your level of need (with Band A being highest priority and Band D the lowest).  You will use a registration number when bidding for properties. The Council will still give priority to those in greatest need but will take into account waiting time.

What is an Effective Date
Every applicant will be given an “Effective date”. In most cases this will be the date that we first received your application. However, if your circumstances change and you move into a different Band, your Effective Date will change as follows:
• Moving into a lower Band that you have previously been in: the Effective Date goes back to the date that applied when you were last in that Band. 
• Moving into a lower Band that you have not previously been in:  the Effective Date will be your original application date.
• Moving up into a higher Band: the Effective Date will be the date when you are assessed as requiring a Higher Band.

What does Bidding or Placing a Bid mean?
“Bidding” is the term used in Choice Based Lettings schemes to mean that an applicant wishes to be considered for a property. There is no money involved and no-one can place more than one “bid” for a single property.

How will the Council advertise empty properties?
Properties will be advertised in a variety of ways including: on the internet, at the Civic Centre, through a dedicated phone line, through DigiTV and at South Essex Homes offices.
 
The advert will carry (where possible) a photograph of the property and full description including, for example: where it is; how many bedrooms; whether it is suitable for someone who uses a wheelchair; whether it is sheltered housing for older people; type of heating and details of rent and service charges.

How will I be able to express an interest in / bid for the property I want?
There will be a variety of ways you can bid: by telephone, on-line at the On The Move website, through the Interactive Voice Recognition telephone service or by direct contact with a member of staff or someone providing support. Applicants will not be given preference for how quickly a bid is made or the way a bid is made during the bidding cycle, allocations will not be made on a “first come first served” basis. On the closing date for bids (every Sunday night at 11.59pm) all the eligible bids will be shortlisted. 

How many properties can I bid for each week?
You have up to three bids per weekly advertising cycle. You can remove and change your bids at any time up until the close of the weekly cycle.

How will the Council decide who gets the property?
In normal circumstances, all the eligible bids for each property will be placed in priority order:
• First by Band, highest priority Band first
• Second by date order (based upon Effective Date) within each Band

What if I need support to use the service?
You can tell us on your housing application form, speak to the Housing Needs team when you apply or be referred by a relative or care worker.  Whether it is help understanding English, with reading or deciding which properties to bid for the Housing Needs team will provide the support that you need. There may be the option to choose someone to bid on your behalf and in exceptional circumstances the Council can make direct allocations.

What does Local Connection mean?
The housing register is open to anyone eligible for housing even if they do not have a connection to Southend. If you do not have a local connection to Southend you will automatically be placed in Band D. Under normal circumstances applicants with a local connection to Southend will be placed above applicants without a local connection.

 To be considered as having a local connection to Southend one of the following must be demonstrated and verified:
• You work in the borough of Southend for sixteen hours or more per week
• You are normally resident in the Southend borough.  Normally resident might typically be at least 6 of the last 12 months, or 3 of the last 5 years
• You are an ex-resident from the Southend borough who previously lived here for 5 years or longer
• You have family members who are resident in the Southend borough.  Family members are defined as parents, adult children or brothers or sisters who have been resident in the Southend borough for a period of 5 years or longer
• There are special circumstances which the Council considers give rise to a local connection. Applications will be considered on an individual basis

I am in a Band with a Time Limit; what happens if I don’t find a property within the time limit?
Time limits apply for Band A (eight weeks) and Emergency Status (28 days) applicants. These time limits start on the date that you are awarded the Band or Status and you are expected to have bid for properties that match your needs during these timescales.

If you have not applied for a property that meets your needs (size, type, adaptations, etc.) within the time limit your Band status will be reviewed. The review will determine whether or not your time period will be extended. If your time period is not extended you will be placed in another Band or allocated a property directly by the Council without expressing choice (known as a “Direct Let”).

If I disagree with my Band, Effective Date or Bedroom Need, what can I do?
If you have had a significant change in your circumstances and think that your assessment for the new policy is wrong, please write to us at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Housing Needs Section, Community Housing, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6ER and enclose any relevant supporting documentation. We will assess the new information and write to you with the outcome.