Common Housing Register Changes Social Housing Applications In Caerphilly County Borough

Caerphilly County Borough Council has changed the way that people apply for and are assessed for social housing within the borough to make the process easier for applicants. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A new Common Housing Register will be introduced from December 2016, creating a single waiting list managed by Caerphilly County Borough Council. All 7 housing associations with homes in the county borough will close their lists to make way for the new list, making the process of applying for social housing easier than before. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new register means that in order to apply for social housing an applicant only needs to apply once, rather than individually to the council and each of the 7 housing associations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Residents who have current housing applications and who want to remain on the list will be transferred across to the new Common Housing Register. However, before an applicant’s details are submitted into the register, applications must be assessed in line with the new Common Allocation Policy. Some residents may be required to give additional information in order for the council to do this. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly Council is currently contacting all applicants by post, requesting that a short form is completed to provide the additional information needed to assess their application and to transfer them across to the Common Housing Register. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr David Poole, Deputy Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Housing said: “The Common Housing Register will make it much easier for people to apply for social housing in Caerphilly county borough, as applicants will only need to make one application in the future instead of applying separately to the council and each housing association. It is important that those who are already on the housing register complete and return the form sent out to them, as failing to do so may result in not being transferred to the new register and thus not considered for rehousing”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​