New choice-based lettings process for council homes

New choice-based lettings process for council homes

PEOPLE on the waiting list for a council home in Carmarthenshire will now have more choice over where they want to live.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board has today (November 27, 2017) agreed to adopt a new lettings process where available homes will be advertised and people encouraged to bid for those they like and are eligible for.

A new section will be added to the council’s website, and those who don’t have access to the internet will be supported to view and bid for homes at council customer service centres and over the phone, with vulnerable applicants being allowed to appoint someone to bid on their behalf.

Following executive board’s approval, the lettings process will now be set up and is hoped to be in operation early in 2018.

Cllr Linda Evans, executive board member for housing, said: “This is something that personally I’m very pleased with. At the moment the process involves our officers identifying and contacting the person who has the highest priority. Very often we have to contact many of them before the property is let.

“This new process will list the homes available in an open advert and anyone on the register can apply for them. It gives us an option to show people what houses we have – they will be online and people will have a chance to see what’s available and choose the house they want to apply for.

“This will ensure that those interested in a particular home will be able to take it, instead of them taking a home they don’t want because it’s the only one they have been offered.

“We hope this approach will mean tenants will stay in their home for longer, making for more sustainable tenancies and communities.”

• To watch the full debate and access the agenda documents about this discussion at Executive Board, visit the council and democracy section of the council’s website – carmarthenshire.gov.wales