Lettings Policy

Tower Hamlets Lettings Policy12. Applicants who must be givenreasonable preference or additionalpreference are usually placed in bands 1or 2 and have a much greater chance ofbeing offered a home than applicants inBands 3 or 4.13. However, under this policy, each year, asmall number of homes will also bemade available to applicants in Band 3 inorder to meet local Tower Hamletsneeds. The law allows for this as long asthe amount of property set aside for thispurpose does not dominate thescheme.How do you decide which band myapplication will be in?14. This will depend upon yourcircumstances at the time of yourapplication or after notifying us of anychange in your circumstances after youhave been put on the Housing List. Forexample, you may be placed in a lowerpriority band, but can be considered fora higher priority band after aninvestigation or assessment of anycircumstances that may qualify you foradditional priority. Appendix 1 sets outhow these decisions are made.I am on the Housing List. Whathappens next?15. Applicants on the Housing List canapply through the Choice Based Lettingssystem for homes that are provided bythe Council and the Common HousingRegister partner landlords.What is Choice Based Lettings?16. This is a method of letting homes byadvertising them weekly so thatapplicants can “bid” for them. Most ofthe homes provided by the Council andthe Common Housing Register partnersare let through this method. This wayeveryone can see the homes that areavailable each week and decide whetherthey want to apply for them.17. Although most homes are let in thisway, some homes may be offereddirectly to an applicant, for example, tomeet the need of a high priorityapplicant; or to meet a legal obligation;or for effective management of housingstock – (see paragraph 90 on DirectOffers).18. Sometimes homes will be advertised forcertain groups only because the amountof homes let to them has fallen behindthe target – (see paragraphs 21 – 24) orbecause they are specially adapted andwill be reserved for applicants who havea particular need for this type of home.There are four steps toChoice Based Lettings:Step One: Available homes areadvertised weeklyStep Two: Applicants can “bid” for asmany homes as they wish each weekStep Three: A short list is drawn upin priority order for each advertisedhome from those who have bid for itStep Four: A home is usually offeredto the highest priority bidder first. Ifrefused it is offered to the nextpriority bidder and so on until it isaccepted.How do you decide between bids?19. Applicants on the Housing List areplaced in one of the four bands. Eachapplicant will be given a preferencedate. How this is decided will dependupon the band and may change if anapplicant moves from one band toanother. See Appendix 2 for how“preference dates” are decided.20. When more than one applicant in thesame band bids for a home it willusually be offered to the applicant withthe earliest preference date in the band.However, targets are also set for the4