Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)This section contains some frequently asked questions and answers about our Allocations Policy & Choice Based Lettings (CBL). It has been produced to help you understand the way homes are allocated by Three Rivers District Council.
Q: WHAT IS CHOICE BASED LETTINGS (CBL)?
A: Choice-based lettings is a new way of allocating social housing that offers applicants more choice in where they wish to live.
Q: HOW IS CBL DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM OF ALLOCATING PROPERTIES?
A: In the past, properties were allocated to those on the housing register according to need using a points-based system. Applicants were offered homes they may not necessarily have wanted.
Under CBL, Housing Associations advertise their properties through a fortnightly magazine available at www.hertschoicehomes.org.uk and you can choose which property you are interested in by ‘bidding’ for it. The points system has been replaced with 5 bands to reflect your current housing need..
Q: WHAT IS THE HOUSING REGISTER?
A: The Housing Needs Register (HNR) is a list of everyone looking for affordable accommodation within Three Rivers District Council.
Q: WHO CAN JOIN THE HOUSING REGISTER?
A: As long as you are over 16 you can join our Register unless:
The Council has decided that your behaviour (or a member of your household's behaviour) is unacceptable and serious enough to make you unsuitable as a tenant.
You are subject to immigration control, or are not habitually resident as described by law.
Q: WHAT IS LOCAL CONNECTION?
A: Local connection is where you can show one of the following. You must:
Have lived three years out of the last five years in the District
Have lived six months out of the last twelve months in the District
Have permanent employment for sixteen hours or more per week within the District
Have immediate family who at present live in the District and who have lived in the District for at least five years (such as parents, children, brothers or sisters)
Be a member of Her Majesty’s Forces, have served for at least five years, and either enlisted from an address in the District or have permanent employment in the District on discharge
Have special circumstances which TRDC considers give rise to a local connection
If you have a local connection, you will be banded in Band’s A-E as identified by your housing needs. If you do not have a local connection you can not be banded higher than Band D even if you have a housing need as identifed by Band’s A-C. However, we may make exceptions for applicants in exceptional circumstances.
If the Council considers that you have enough financial resources to resolve your own housing situation it is likely you will be placed in Band E.
Q: HOW DO I JOIN THE HOUSING NEEDS REGISTER?
A: You need to fill out a Housing registration application form. These are available from the Housing Needs Team at Three Rivers District Council or you can apply online through the Herts Choice homes website.
We aim to assess all applications within 10 working days of receiving the form and any other information we need.
Q: WHAT WILL HAPPEN ONCE I AM ON THE HOUSING REGISTER?
A: Shortly after your registration on the scheme, you will receive confirmation and a scheme user guide in the post. This will advise you of your registration number, your registration date (which would normally be the date we received your housing registration form), and the priority band you have been placed in. If you are eligible to apply (bid) for properties under the scheme, it will also tell you the size of property you will be allowed to apply for.
Q: HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO WAIT ON THE REGISTER?
A: It is not possible for us to tell you how long you need to wait to be successful when bidding for properties. We have more applicants on our housing register than available properties; if you are in the lower priority bands you may never be successful in bidding.
Q: WILL I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW OF ANY CHANGES IN MY CIRCUMSTANCES?
A: Once you are accepted onto our Housing Register you must advise us of any change in your circumstances as soon as possible. For example you must let us know of:
Any change of address
Pregnancy
Medical conditions that would be alleviated by moving to more suitable accommodation
Changes to the members in your household
Q: DO I NEED TO KEEP IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH YOU?
A: If you are bidding regularly you do not need to keep in regular contact with us. If you have not bid for any properties for a period of 6 months the Council may contact you enquiring as to whether you wish to remain on the housing register.
Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CANCEL MY HOUSING REGISTRATION APPLICATION?
A: If we cancel your Housing Register Application you will need to re-apply to us at a later date. You will not be able to keep your former application date so you will lose the time you have previously spent on the housing list.
Q: HOW WILL MY APPLICATION BE PRIORITISED?
A: Your application will be placed into one of
five priority bands
based on an assessment of your housing need. Applicants in band A will have the highest priority, applicants in band E the lowest.
You will also be given a priority date which initially will be the date of your application. Should your circumstances change and you are reassessed to a higher priority band you will be given a new date. This will be the date you were awarded the higher priority.
Q: WHAT IS A BANDING SYSTEM?
A: There are 5 priority bands A - E. The different bands reflect broad categories of housing need, from urgent to adequately housed. You will be placed in a band which reflects your priority and housing need. If you are in a higher band you will have greater priority for housing.
Q: WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRIORITY BANDS?
A: A brief guide to how priority will be assessed is set out below:
BAND A
Includes people who have an urgent need to move e.g. people who have an over-riding medical need or an overriding social/welfare need where exceptional circumstances warrant an emergency move.
BAND B
Includes people who have a very high need to move
This included homeless households where Three Rivers has accepted a full duty to rehouse
BAND C
Includes people who have a
high
need to move e.g. applicants assessed as lacking two or more bedrooms.
BAND D
Includes people with a
medium
need to move e.g. applicants with children in insecure accommodation or applicants facing financial hardship.
BAND E
Includes applicants who are assessed as being adequately housed. This will include applicants with sufficient funds to secure appropriate housing.
If your priority changes you may move up or down the housing priority bands following assessment.
Q: HOW WILL PROPERTIES BE ADVERTISED?
A: All properties which become available for letting will be advertised on the website
Q: WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THERE IS A VACANT PROPERTY?
A: If you are on the Housing Register and are eligible you will be able to bid for the property.
Properties are advertised weekly, bidding will open on Friday and closes at noon the following Tuesday.
Q: HOW WILL I BE ABLE TO BID FOR PROPERTIES?
A: There are several options: on the website, by telephone, by text message or, if you are vulnerable, staff can assist you in making a bid.
Q: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I HAVE BID?
A: Applications are ranked by us according to priority band i.e. band A first and then band B, C, D, E; then within each band the date you were placed in the band.
The person in the highest priority band with the earliest priority date will be invited to view the property. We may shortlist between 1 and 5 applicants to view a property. This will depend on how popular the property is.
Q: WILL I QUALIFY FOR SHELTERED ACCOMMODATION?
A: You can apply for sheltered housing if you are over 60 years of age. We will assess your support needs and suitability for living in sheltered housing.
Q: WHAT IS HERTS CHOICE HOMES AND WHO IS INVOLVED?
A: Herts Choice Homes is a partnership of five Councils in Hertfordshire with the shared aim of increasing mobility and choice. This means there will be some opportunity for you to move to other areas of Hertfordshire. The five councils are: Hertsmere Borough Council, St. Albans District Council, Watford Borough Council, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and Three Rivers District Council.