SCHEmE - Home Option

1 OVersion 1001/06/12 Information and guidance on accessing and using the HomeOption SCHEmE in Brentwood, Broxbourne, chelmsford , East Herts, Epping Forest and 2 homeoption user guide Welcome to homeoptionHomeOption gives more choice about where you want to live. In the past the Council or Housing Association would make an offer of accommodation when your turn had been reached in an area of your choice. Now you will have the chance to express an interest in a property which is suitable for your needs when it becomes Homeseekers will not get the opportunity to rent accommodation with a Council or Housing Association.

2 There are many more people looking for homes than there are vacancies. Therefore, you may need to consider alternative solutions to your housing difficulties. Here are some alternative housing options you may wish to Council and Housing Association tenants who have registered to transfer to another home can use HomeOption to find one. Homeseekers can also use HomeOption to find a home. Every fortnight HomeOption produces a property list, which advertises the available Council and Housing Association homes within the six local authority housing providers are changing the tenancies they offer (the new tenancies are called Affordable Rent Tenancies ).

3 Homeseekers should check the adverts and the details of each property they are interested in carefully as some of the terms and conditions (such as amount of rent and length of tenancy) could vary significantly between different properties and different providers. You can look at the adverts and make an expression of interest for any properties you would like to be considered for. A summary of who can express an interest, and how to express an interest can be found in this Guide. Councils and Housing Associations in the HomeOption SCHEmE will generally only allocate empty properties to people who have made an expression of interest through HomeOption.

4 HomeOption gives you more choice about where you want to live. It also gives you a better idea of what is available in your area. In each edition you can see how homes in the previous editions were let by turning to the feedback page. You can also see what level of priority the successful applicant had and how long they waited for a new you would like to find out more about how to use HomeOption to express an interest for a home you should contact your Council Housing Department. Contact details for Councils are available in this Guide, the HomeOption freesheet and also at 2 Welcome to HomeOptionPAGE 3 TranslationsPAGE 4 Landlords/Local AuthoritiesPAGES 5-7 How the HomeOption SCHEmE WorksPAGE 8-9 Distribution PointsPAGE 10 Understanding the AdvertsPAGE 11 Making your choice on the InternetPAGE 12 Making your choice by PostPAGE 13 Making your choice by Text MessagePAGES 14-15 Making your choice by TelephonePAGE 16-17 Understanding the FeedbackPAGES 18-19 Alternative Housing OptionsPAGE 20 HomeOption General InformationSCHEmEUSER GUIdEhomeoption user guide Page 3

5 AlbanianGaelicItalianMandarinPortugueseS lovakianTurkishVietnameseBengaliGujarati KurdishPolishPunjabiSomaliUrduWelshHomeO ption is committed to helping all those registered to access the SCHEmE . If you would like assistance or have any specific requirements, please contact your Council Housing Department to discuss this. Some of the measures available are:Large Print Braille Translation into other languages Audio translations One-to-one help from staffPage 4 homeoption user guide 0300 555 0500 Repairs Freephone: 0800 953 1447 Minicom: 01245 613188 Fax: 01245 61300101279 655261 Housing DirectorateCivic Offices323 High Street, Epping Essex CM16 4BZ01992 564107 Housing Options ServiceWallfields, Pegs Lane, Herts SG13 8 EQEmail: House, 65a Duke StreetChelmsford, Essex CM1 1 LWEmail: of Broxbourne, Borough Offices,Bishops College, Churchgate, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire EN8 9 XSEmail.

6 785505 Town HallIngrave Road, Brentwood Essex CM15 8 AYEmail: / Local Authorities Brentwood Borough Council Broxbourne Borough CouncilCustomer Services chelmsford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Duke Street, chelmsford , Essex CM1 1 JEEmail: 606400 Council OfficesLondon RoadSaffron Walden, Essex CB11 4 EREmail: 510510 Uttlesford District CouncilChelmsford Borough Council East Herts Council CHP Epping Forest District Council01277 312552 01277 312567 homeoption user guide Page 5 How the SCHEmE worksUnder the HomeOption SCHEmE , homeseekers must express an interest in a property in order to join a short-list by using the HomeOption website or other methods listed in this are five steps for you to follow.

7 You are automatically a member of HomeOption if you are on the participating Council s Housing Register as a homeseeker, or are an existing tenant of any of the participating Council s and have registered for a 1 MembershipStep 2 RegistrationOnce your Council has accepted you onto their housing register, HomeOption will write to you to give you a HomeOption Identification Number (HOIN) and will tell you your date of application, priority band, or how many points you have been must keep your Housing Department informed of any changes to your household, medical condition, housing situation or circumstances.

8 This is very important as it could result in changing your priority or is a SCHEmE which currently includes six Local Authority areas as follows: Brentwood, Broxbourne, chelmsford , East Herts, Epping Forest and of the Local Authority Areas have their own Housing Allocation SCHEmE which includes prioritising applicants by way of either a banding or points based SCHEmE . Although each SCHEmE must meet with certain rules, they do vary in some ways. Please refer to the individual Local Authority for their SCHEmE (see Council addresses, telephone numbers and web address on page 4).Page 6 homeoption user guide Step 3 ChoosingAvailable properties are advertised on the website; go to You can also pick up a fortnightly property list advertising the properties available in your Council area from the distribution points listed on pages 8-9 The properties are usually advertised every other Friday, in chelmsford it is weekly.

9 Your expressions of interest must reach us by 1pm the following you express an interest in a property: Please read the information on the property advert very carefully to ensure you are making the right choice. Expressing an interest inappropriately creates a longer waiting time for restriction on the property Some properties have a minimum age requirement, for example, in some cases only people over 60 years of age can apply. Any restriction will be indicated by the icon in the property housing with support will usually only be available for applicants over 60 years of age. However there may be certain circumstances where younger applicants with support needs or mobility needs can be considered.

10 If you are interested in retirement housing with support you will be visited by a SCHEmE Manager who will undertake an assessment of your needs. Mobility sign: This is intended to provide a guide to people who have various levels of mobility needs. This does not restrict anyone else from expressing an interest for these properties but the advert will often say that priority will be given to applicants with mobility needsChoice of area: You can only express an interest in areas where you have a live application on the district or borough register. If you wish to express an interest in a property in another district or borough you must be registered with them.