East Surrey Home Choice
This section contains information about the new East Surrey Home Choice scheme that will be launched in 2008.
East Surrey Home Choice is a choice based lettings scheme that will include the local authority areas of Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge.
The four East Surrey Councils Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge have joined together to create East Surrey Home Choice. In December 2006 the four East Surrey authorities secured £87,000 of government funding to develop the scheme.
The aim of the scheme is to help housing register applicants and transfer applicants apply for social rented homes located in any of the four East Surrey authorities. Up to ten percent of all social rented homes that become empty each year will be made available for applicants who want to move to a different borough within the scheme. This means, for example, that an applicant on the Reigate and Banstead housing register will be able to apply for advertised homes in any of the four East Surrey authorities.
The East Surrey Councils are in the process of developing the scheme in detail and we will update this page regularly.
How will East Surrey Home Choice work?
East Surrey Home Choice will work in a similar way to Reigate & Banstead’s Home Choice. Here is a short summary of the scheme:
- Each of the four East Surrey authorities will place at least ten percent of its annual vacant social rented homes into an East Surrey pot.
- Every week (providing there are vacancies) we will advertise East Surrey Home Choice properties on our website.
- Eligible applicants on all of the East Surrey Council’s housing registers will be able to apply for these East Surrey homes.
- Interested applicants will have until an agreed deadline to apply for advertised homes.
Once the deadline has passed, we will have a list of interested applicants for each East Surrey Home advertised. We will then nominate the applicants on the list in accordance with an East Surrey Allocation Policy.
What will happen to Reigate & Banstead Home Choice?
Reigate and Banstead Home Choice will continue to advertise available homes in the borough as usual using our own allocation system. The main difference is that from April 2008 ten percent of these homes will be made available to all eligible housing register applicants in East Surrey. These East Surrey Home Choice properties will be let in accordance with an East Surrey Home Choice Allocation Policy.
In 2008 we will have a new web site for all Home Choice properties. It will contain more information about advertised homes and we hope it to be easier to use. Applicants will be able to register their interest in homes through the web site and receive instant feedback about their bid. We will also operate a telephone bidding service.
News Updates
We will update this web page regularly as the project develops. We will be seeking your views on the scheme later in the year and will be sending regular newsletters to housing applicants and stakeholders.
Here is copy of the recent newsletter Home Choice Newsletter sent to the applicants on Reigate and Banstead Housing Register, applicants of the other East Surrey Authorities will also have recieved an update newsletter from their own authority.
In the meantime, if you have any queries or comments please contact the project manager on 01737 276167 or e-mail eastsurreyhomechoice@reigate-banstead.gov.uk
Last updated : 15/01/2008
