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Choice Based Lettings Update

Choice Based Lettings Update. Robin Newby Special Adviser Choice Based Lettings. CBL is. An approach to letting social housing that Openly advertises available properties Invites homeseekers to browse & apply Ranks applications according to a published allocations policy

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Choice Based Lettings Update

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  1. Choice Based LettingsUpdate Robin Newby Special Adviser Choice Based Lettings

  2. CBL is • An approach to letting social housing that • Openly advertises available properties • Invites homeseekers to browse & apply • Ranks applications according to a published allocations policy • Publishes feedback on properties previously advertised • Ensures support is available

  3. It can also • Involve sub-regional partnership working Incorporate local lettings policies Offer applicants personalised feedback on their applications Support housing options including Mutual Exchanges & other tenures

  4. Progress • 234 LAs offer live CBL (72%) • 133 of these LAs are within 30 sub-regional services • More sub-regional schemes in development • Number of LAs without plans for CBL reducing • Similar pattern across registered providers

  5. “In the days of the Housing Waiting System customers were unable to see a way forward.”

  6. For many simply joining the housing register without consideration of housing options risks being a road to nowhere…

  7. CBL can help make the picture clearer

  8. Transparency • Is lacking in the traditional allocations approach • CBL shows supply & demand, more transparent • Transparency can help nurture public trust • Key Elements • Sticking to clear open rules for eligibility, prioritisation & offers • Any restrictions should be made clear in the advert • Feedback available to homeseekers & to wider community

  9. Tabular – Somerset Website

  10. Tabular – Cambridgeshire Magazine

  11. Waiting time guide - Newham

  12. Feedback - personal account Newham

  13. With personal bidding history Newham

  14. Research findings • Most comprehensive study* to date identifies potential benefits • Can generate financial savings that outweigh extra costs • Encourages clients to think more flexibly about solutions • Reduces ethnic segregation • Works in rural & urban, low & high demand settings • Lower refusal rates, improved void times & lets hard-to-let • Better tenancy sustainment • Better outcomes for homeless people *Monitoring the Longer Term Impact of Choice-based Lettings, Heriott Watt & British Market Research Bureau for CLG, Oct 2006 http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/monitoringlonger

  15. Some concerns remain….. • Persistent unsuccessful bidders • Customer understanding • Accessibility • Equality • Quality of monitoring

  16. Addressing concerns • Straightforward policies - a theme within “Fair & Flexible” • Ensuring that CBL communicates the reality of supply • Offering a wider range of housing options • Clear personalised feedback on bids • Nudges

  17. Equalities & accessibility • Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) guidehttp://icn.csip.org.uk/IndependentLivingChoices/Housing/Topics/browse/LearningDisabilities/?parent=992&child=3433 • Good practice guide commissioned by CLG due soon • Better monitoring & support • Equalities Impact Assessments - locally & nationally

  18. Customer service • Access channels – something for everyone? • Personal contact - offices, libraries, agencies • Telephone with appropriate language options • Internet • Kiosks • Text • Digital TV • Paper coupons • Auto bidding • Distinctive branding - easy to recognise the service • Where to get help

  19. CBL Kiosks – East London

  20. CBL Talking Heads – East London

  21. CBL bidding coupons - Cambridge

  22. How to bid – Home Choice Plus

  23. How to get help – Home Choice Plus

  24. CBL & Housing Options • Linking housing options to CBL offers homeseekers a broader menu of housing solutions • Traditional Housing Options services • Focus on homelessness prevention • Tend to be reactive & use traditional public sector service channels • CBL services • Proactive & interactive communicative electronic channels • Designed for accessibility • High profile, well placed to communicate other housing options • An increasing number of CBL services offer housing options • Next step might be nudges to help get messages across?

  25. Benefits of Sub-Regional CBL • Opportunities for client mobility within the sub-region • Ongoing costs are shared – less cost to each partner • Single point of contact • Reduced wasteful administrative duplication • Helps nurture strong partnerships • Wider market for any hard to let properties • Dovetails with sub-regional growth • Set up costs subsidy from DCLG

  26. Choice Based Mobility • Like people in other tenures homeseekers may benefit from moving across administrative boundaries for work, education or care • Most sub-regional CBL services offer opportunities for such moves • Two main approaches – ‘Open’ and ‘Sub-Regional Pool’ • Local authority’s outwards & inwards flows are monitored • Flows managed to maintain balance • Also Housing Moves services for London http://www.housingmoves.org/index.htm

  27. Examples of mobility arrangements

  28. Mobility - what actually happens? • Anecdotal evidence from sub-regional services suggest • Exchange approach: 5% cross boundary lets • Sub-Regional Pool approach: 4 – 8% • Open approach: 4 - 10% • Often involve households living close to LA boundaries • Further cross boundary moves through mutual exchanges, private rented sector & shared ownership

  29. ICT for CBL - considerations • Is it scaleable to support partnerships? • Does it support personal feedback? • Can it operate across a range of media? • Is it simple to use & does it meet accessibility standards? • Has it been usability tested by customers? • Does the basic product do all of what the rep demonstrates? • Does it include content management? • Can it filter inappropriate bids and let customers know why?

  30. Housing Options Hub One Service, Many Channels LA 1 LA 2 LA 3 LA 4 HA 1 HA 2 Home Buy Agent Private LLs Mutual Ex- changes Other options info

  31. Resources • CLG Websitehttp://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingmanagementcare/choicebasedlettings/ • CBL Advisers • Caroline Keightley – SW, S England, W Midlands, North West: 01260 227485, caroline.keightley@communities.gsi.gov.uk • Until October 31st 2009 Robin Newby – E England , E Midlands, Yorks & Humberside, North East: 07515 492161, robin.newby@communities.gsi.gov.uk • De-Montfort University CBL website: www.choicemoves.org.uk • Live CBL services

  32. Questions?

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