How to use Choice Move

Properties are advertised on a weekly basis on the Choice Move website.

The advertisements tell you the landlord, location, number of bedrooms, weekly rent and other features so you can decide if the home is right for you.

A photograph of the property or a similar property will be shown where available and you can access information about the local area and facilities.

The advertisements also tell you if there are any special requirements that the applicant must meet, such as age requirements.

To apply for a home, you must first join the housing register.  You may only apply for properties which suit your family size and medical need. You do this by expressing your interest or bidding on the property. You can bid online through the Choice Move website. You will need to log-in to the site to find the properties you are eligible to bid for.

Housing Application Form

All bids will be put in priority order of banding and waiting time to produce a list of eligible applicants for each property advertised. 

In the situation of a “tie” where two customers with the same banding and waiting time are at the top of a short list, the decision of the allocation will be made by a Senior Officer at Rykneld Homes.

Your housing application will be subject to verification checks (including eligibility, rent and household circumstances). Any change in circumstances that we are not aware of may affect the offer of a property.  We have the right to withdraw an offer if you have not informed us of a change in circumstances or if you have provided misleading or incorrect information.  If we find you have made a false declaration, we have the right to cancel your housing application.

We only contact successful applicants, if you have not been contacted then you have been unsuccessful this time.

The top shortlisted applicant(s) will be invited to attend a viewing however, if the applicant(s) cannot be contacted within 24 hours the next eligible person will be offered a viewing.

If you are successful you will be invited to view the property. If you have any medical needs that need taking into account a Housing Occupational Therapist may accompany the Housing Officer and an assessment will be carried out to ensure that the property fully meets your needs. 

If a property is deemed unsuitable by Rykneld Homes this will not be considered as a refusal of the property by you.

Refusals

If you are at the top of the list and you turn down a property, we will move to the next applicant and so on.  You will not normally be penalised for refusing a property and can continue to bid for properties in the next cycle, however, you must ensure you are placing bids appropriately.

If you are offered a property, you will not be shortlisted for other homes until you have decided to accept or refuse the offer.  If you accept a property, we will advise you when you may be given the keys.

Offers can be refused, however reasons must be given for refusal and if the applicant's reasons are not considered reasonable, applicants may be suspended for a period of three months. When an applicant has been offered and refused 3 homes their application will be re-assessed and housing advice given including considering the property location and property type. If the applicant's reasons for refusal are not considered reasonable, applications may be suspended for a period of three months.

We publish information about properties we have successfully let.

Please contact us for our most recent lets. We can tell you:

• The number of applicants that bid for the property
• The band they were in
• The waiting time of the successful applicants.

This may give you a better idea of how popular a particular type of property or area is and how long you would normally have to wait.

Customer Satisfaction Survey

If you would like to give us your feedback about being re-housed through Choice Move, please complete a Customer Satisfaction Survey.  You should receive a survey when you sign up for the property.

We would like to hear from you if you have any comments about the service you received so please use our online form to give us your feedback - the feedback we receive helps to shape our future service provision.

There are different types of properties available throughout the district including houses, flats, and bungalows. 

When you register with Choice Move, you will be told how many bedrooms you are entitled to – this is very important following changes to the Benefits system and a reduction in Housing Benefit if you have more bedrooms that the Government says you need. 

Community Lettings Plan

Homes in areas with these plans will be subject to additional lettings criteria which have been agreed and operate in specific localities, for example where Rykneld Homes and the Council have built new homes.

Housing Association Accommodation

These are advertised through the Choice Move scheme and nominated by the Allocations Officers, normally the top three eligible customers details will be passed to the appropriate Housing Association.