The way that Council houses and housing association properties are allocated to people on the waiting list – Choice Based Lettings system – was updated to reflect people’s needs and to make the best use of available properties, at a meeting of the District Council’s Cabinet 7 December.

The changes follow a review of the system which was introduced in May 2009.

The main changes, which will make it easier for people to change their property for one which better suits their needs are:

Up to 50% of properties advertised in St Albans district through Herts Choice Homes, will now be prioritised for Council and Housing Association tenants already living in the district. This will increase the number of Council and Housing association properties that become available in the district.

The lower age limit for anyone wishing to apply for a bungalow has come down from 60, to 50 years of age. They must already be living in a Council or Housing Association property in the district.

Council or housing association tenants in the St Albans District who are living in a property that is larger than they need, will be given a high priority, if they are willing to move to a smaller property that has the right number of bedrooms for their current need.

Council or Housing Association tenants in the district, living in a property that has been specially adapted for a previous tenant, will be given a high priority if they are willing to vacate it, in favour of someone with special needs who would benefit from the adaptations within that property.

However, there are also changes to the qualifications for separate bedrooms for children, meaning that in the following situations siblings will have to share:

– same sex siblings with less than 9 years difference in age
– siblings of opposite sexes but are under 8 years of age