Choice Based Lettings - SEARCH Moves

Spelthorne
Elmbridge
And
Runnymede
Choice
Home Moves

Spelthorne Council now operates a Choice Based Lettings housing scheme called SEARCH Moves. Five organisations within North Surrey have joined together to operate the scheme. They are Spelthorne, Elmbridge and Runnymede Councils, A2Dominion Housing Group and Elmbridge Housing Trust.

Choice Based Lettings (CBL) is a government initiative that has been developed to give housing applicants more choice about where they want to live. The scheme is a fairer and simpler way of letting homes.

The SEARCH Moves scheme will enable eligible applicants on the housing register to "bid" (express an interest) for vacant social housing properties within the Spelthorne area. Applicants will also be able to bid for properties in the Elmbridge and Runnymede areas if they can demonstrate a connection with them (see local connection). Separate applications to those Boroughs will not be needed.

The Council will no longer contact applicants to advise that they have been nominated to a particular property instead these will be advertised via the SEARCH Moves website (external website).

The properties will also be advertised in a printed Freesheet. There will also be a percentage of properties within the Elmbridge and Runnymede areas that will be offered across Borough boundaries. These will give further choice for applicants.

When an applicant joins the Spelthorne Council Housing Register their individual housing circumstances will be assessed in relation to their housing need and be put into a 'band'. There are five bands ranging from A - E with A being the highest priority. Within each band there is a priority order. For Band A priority is based on the date the application was given the banding. Bands B - E are based on the registration date of the application.

Further information about how to join the Spelthorne Borough Council Housing Register

The Choice Based Lettings bands are as follows:
Band A	emergency / priority need
Band B	urgent need to move
Band C	identified housing need
Band D	housing need but no local connection
Band E	low housing need

Please click on each of the Bands A, B, C and E above to establish the various factors that make up each band's assessment. Applicants that fall into bandings A, B, C or E but do not have a local connection with Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede Councils will be placed in Band D.

Local connection

Local connection will be awarded to applicants that meet the following criteria

an applicant currently lives in Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede and has done so for at least six months out of the last twelve months or three years out of the last five.
an applicant has lived continuously for five years or more in Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede areas.
an applicant has immediate family (mother/father/brother/sister/son/daughter) who are currently living in Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede and have done so for at least five years.
an applicant has a permanent job in Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede.

Sufficient evidence must be provided by an applicant before local connection can be considered and they will only be eligible for properties in the Boroughs where a local connection has been established.

How to bid

There are four ways in which an applicant can bid for a property.

These are:-

placing a "bid" via the internet
text messaging a "bid"
telephoning a "bid"
placing a "bid" with a coupon

Please click on the following link for more detailed information on how to bid in these different ways (external website).

If you need help to make a "bid", you can ask a friend, family member or support worker to do so on your behalf. Please contact the Housing Options Team if you need help placing a bid or advice about the process.

When an applicant makes a bid for a property this is an expression of interest for the property and it does not involve any money changing hands.

Available properties will be advertised fortnightly and all bids must be placed before 12 noon on the closing date shown on the website and on the Freesheets. Any bids placed after 12 noon on the closing date will not be considered. Further information in relation to how the SEARCH Moves Choice Based Lettings Scheme works (external website).

Which properties can I bid for

All properties that become available will be advertised on the SEARCH Moves website (external website), details can also be obtained in the printed Freesheet. The properties will be listed under each local authority's name and will outline who can bid for the property, the number of bedrooms, any age restrictions, the number of people who can live in the property, if the property is adapted and suitable for applicants with mobility concerns etc. Further detailed information (external website).

A key to the symbols used in each property advert is available (external website).

Feedback

After a bidding cycle has closed (12 noon on the closing date shown on the website and on the Freesheets) all applicants that have made a bid on a property will be reviewed in order of their housing priority banding and, if successful, will be contacted by the landlord to view property etc. When a property is let, feedback will be provided to highlight how many bids were made against each property (external website) and the status of the successful member who bid for the property ie priority band, priority date etc.

User guide

All applicants present on the Spelthorne Council Housing Register will be issued a SEARCH Moves User Guide (Pdf 1.7mb) which will help applicants use the scheme.