Home-Link Lettings Policy

This is the letting policy for South Cambridgeshire District Council, (SCDC) and should be considered in conjunction with the Cambridge sub-regional choice based lettings scheme (CBL) framework document, which outlines how the CBL scheme will work. The Partnership Organisations (PO) to the sub-regional CBL scheme are:

Cambridge City Council
East Cambridgeshire District Council
Fenland District Council (will be joining at a later date)
Forest Heath District Council
Huntingdonshire District Council
South Cambridgeshire District Council
St Edmundsbury Borough Council

The document outlines our lettings policy with regard to registering and assessing the priority of applicants who wish to access social rented housing. An applicant's housing need will be determined based on the household's current circumstances and the type of home they currently live in.

The CBL scheme and this lettings policy have been designed in collaboration with the sub-regional PO listed above, with the aim of having as much consistency in the letting of social housing as is possible in a very diverse sub-region. The lettings policy aims to ensure that all people seeking social housing in South Cambridgeshire are able to exercise choice in deciding where they wish to live and in the type of property they would prefer.

The policy enables us to consider the individual needs of applicants whilst making best use of the scarce resource of social rented homes. The policy sets out:

how to apply for housing
who is eligible to be accepted onto the housing register
who is not eligible to be accepted onto the housing register
how priority for housing applicants will be given
what the decision making processes are
how homes will be let

Objectives of the lettings policy

to meet the legal requirements for the allocation of social housing as set out in the Housing Act (1996) as amended by the Homelessness Act (2002)
to assist applicants in the highest assessed need
to let properties in a fair and transparent way and provide a consistent lettings process
to make best use of housing stock
to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against, whether directly or indirectly
to support vulnerable applicants
to provide increased choice and information to applicants
to provide information and feedback on homes that are let through the CBL scheme
to improve mobility across the sub-region
to promote social inclusion and help achieve sustainable communities

Statement on choice

We are fully committed to enabling applicants to play a more active role in choosing where they live, whilst continuing to house those in the greatest need in the district.

The CBL scheme will enable applicants from the South Cambridgeshire district to have access to a percentage of available homes from all the PO across the sub region.

Download the full Lettings Policy

If you have any comments or require any more information please contact us at cbl@scambs.gov.uk.