Lettings Policy consultation (October 2020)

Audience: People on the housing register, registered providers, housing associations and partner organisations

This consultation is now closed. It was open from 23 October 2020 to 18 December 2020.

West Suffolk is part of a partnership with Cambridgeshire for the home lettings service Home-Link. This is the online service that applicants on our housing register use for bidding for housing managed by social landlords.

The partnership is now consulting on changes to its Lettings Policy. The main aim continues to be to provide homes to those most in need and to let council and housing association properties in a fair and transparent way. The Lettings Policy sets out the detail that determines the allocation of housing association homes.

The main changes are in relation to how a 'local connection' is defined with the revised policy aiming to set out greater clarity as to what is meant in relation to employment requirements.

There are also proposed changes to give ex-partners or spouses of armed forces personnel the same local connection exemption as their former partners when they have to move out of a Ministry of Defence property due to a relationship breakdown. This change would be to ensure policy meets the requirements of the Military Covenant.

There are other more minor changes. You can read them in full, and take part in the consultation on the South Cambs website at South Cambs - Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk Home-Link Partnership Lettings Policy consultation. Responses must be received by the end of the day on Friday 18 December.

West Suffolk will be emailing or writing to all 2120 people on its housing register to make them aware of the consultation. Anyone who cannot access the internet can request a paper form by ringing 03450 450 051.