DDC Release *****
NEW SCHEME FOR LETTING COUNCIL HOMES
Dover District Council is changing how it lets its homes and has joined with other District Authorities in Kent to create a choice based lettings scheme called Kent Homechoice.
Kent Homechoice is a new way of letting social housing, which will work with the Council's existing Housing Need Register. The changes will not affect people's position on the register. What will change is how people tell the Council they are interested in any vacant home that becomes available. The new scheme will start in November.
Vacant homes will be advertised in a newssheet, which will be available to all registered applicants, who can then apply (bid) for vacancies that they are eligible for. These homes will also be advertised on a new website at
www.kenthomechoice.org.uk. Each home will be offered to the applicant who is highest on the Housing Need Register, provided, of course, that the home is suitable for their needs. People will be able to bid via the website, by telephone, by text message or by posting a coupon.
Cllr Mrs Sue Nicholas, Dover District Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Housing, Local Authority Housing Landlord Policy, and Tenant Affairs, said: "This is an important change to the way we let homes, which will help people have more say in where they want to be housed, and we are very pleased to be working with partner Authorities on this scheme."
DDC is holding awareness sessions at the Council offices in Whitfield on Wednesday 1 October to explain the scheme. To book a place, call 01304 872262 or email
cblbookings@dover.gov.uk or for more information call DDC on (01304) 872265.