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Choice based lettings
This page is about choice based lettings, particularly as they affect homeless people. Local authorities are encouraged to include in their housing allocation (letting) schemes a policy that allows applicants a degree of choice over accommodation offered, or at least the ability to express preferences. Most choice based lettings schemes are "advertising" schemes, where available properties are advertised - for example in newspapers or online - and applicants "bid" according to their priority and/or waiting time.
What's New?
- The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) is consulting on a new Code of Guidance for Local Housing Authorities on Allocation of Accommodation: Choice Based Lettings.
- The Care Services Improvement Partnership and the National Institue for Mental Health in England has published a briefing on Choice based lettings for people with mental health problems
The Issues
The main issues for homeless people with choice based lettings schemes are the common policy of restricting choice to homeless people in temporary accommodation (or time-limiting priority) and the potential for vulnerable people to have difficulty engaging with bidding systems.