People on Housing Waiting List need to re-register
  Back  
     
 

People on housing waiting list will need to re-register

 
  People on the housing register in Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury, are being advised that they will need to re-register next month.

West Suffolk councils has emailed all 2500 people on its housing register to tell them about changes that are coming into effect.

Councils across the Cambridge Sub-Region including Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury are changing IT provider for the database it uses for its choice based letting scheme, Home-Link. This is because a contract with another IT supplier is coming to an end.

Cllr Sara Mildmay-White said: “From February 1 2019, if people in the Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury areas wish to remain on the housing register and to continue to bid for properties, then they will need to re-register. They must do this by 28 February to ensure they remain on the housing register from 1 April.”
The new register will come into effect from 1 April 2019. As this is a new provider the Council can’t simply transfer the data held from one provider to another.

If people haven’t re-registered and their application hasn’t been verified by this date, they may lose their place on the housing register and may not be able to bid for properties. West Suffolk councils can only assure that people who re-registered by 28 February will be verified in time for the 1 April switchover.

The Council is also talking to local partners including the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Registered Providers including Havebury Housing Partnership and Flagship Homes, so they understand the implications of the changes and can provide advice as appropriate.

The change in IT supplier does not change how priority banding is decided because the Home-link scheme itself remains unchanged. People will still be assessed in line with the existing housing policy. It is only if there has been a change in their circumstances that their banding may change up or down. The change of system will also ensure that the information we hold is up-to-date and reflects their housing needs and priority.

People can re-register from 1 February at www.home-link.org.uk

More information will be published on the Council’s website at:

www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/housingregister