You are in: home > for tenants > kent homechoice

Kent Homechoice

---

What is Kent Homechoice?

Maidstone Housing Trust has adopted this Scheme for all our properties available to let because Kent Homechoice gives all applicants the opportunity to be more involved in the letting process as they are able to choose their home and where they live.

This will have an impact on the wider community as tenants have the right to chose to live in their desired area where they want to be part of the community.

Does Kent Homechoice provide more properties?

No, the scheme will not provide more homes but it will provide a more transparent system giving information about what properties MHT have available to let for our tenants.

Who is eligible?

If you are a Maidstone Housing Trust tenant you must have a transfer application registered with Maidstone Borough Council. To find out more and request an information pack, contact the Maidstone Borough Council Housing Options team on 01622 602440.

You are eligible for a transfer if:

• You are an Assured tenant of Maidstone Housing Trust and have been resident in your current property for at least two years or
• You are an Assured tenant and are a family living in a property without a garden and wish to be considered for a transfer to an alternative property (i.e. maisonette or house) and you have lived in the property for a period of not less than one year with at least one child under the age of fifteen or
• You are an Assured Tenant of Maidstone Housing Trust and your current home has become unsuitable for your needs (e.g. on medical grounds, under-occupation). In the case of medical unsuitability, all applications will be assessed by Maidstone Borough Council's independent medical advisors. In some cases, further support may be sought following a visit from an Occupational Therapist

What happens if I have rent arrears?

All Maidstone Housing Trust tenants who meet the above criteria will not be eligible to apply for a transfer unless the rent account is clear. If you are in arrears when your Transfer Application is received, you will not be eligible to register for a transfer and your application (and any other documents included) will be returned to you with a letter stating the reason for their return.

As a Trust tenant, how will Kent Homechoice affect my transfer application?

Kent Homechoice is a points-based system and the points awarded are what applicants use to ‘bid’ for advertised properties.

I am not a Maidstone Housing Trust Tenant. Does this make any difference?

To apply for housing you must contact Maidstone Borough Council. They are responsible for managing the Housing Register for the Borough and all housing applications must be made to them.

You can get more information about how to apply to be on the Housing Register by visiting Maidstone Borough Council’s website at www.maidstone.gov.uk or you can contact the Council’s Housing Options Team on 01622 602000.

How will I know which properties are available?

Every two weeks all available properties are advertised in a freesheet on the Kent Homechoice website, www.kenthomechoice.org.uk

How do I apply for a property on the list?

You can bid for a property in one of the following ways

• By telephone
• By SMS text messaging
• with the help of Maidstone Housing Trust and Maidstone Borough Council staff
• Online using www.kenthomechoice.org.uk
• By post
  

How many properties can I apply for?

You can apply for a maximum of three properties from each Kent Homechoice advert.

What size or type of property can I apply for?

You can bid for any property suitable to your housing need. The following table is a useful guide:

You can apply for a property with one bedroom more than you require, but priority will always be given to applicants who need the size of the property advertised.

How long do I have to apply for the properties?

The deadline for response to adverts is shown at the top of each Kent Homechoice advert and bids received after this time and date will not be considered. Please note we cannot be responsible for the non-receipt of any bids sent by post.

I have applied for properties but the properties go to applicants with higher points than me, why is this?

This may happen because the demand for properties in certain areas is higher and more points will be needed to secure these vacancies. In the fortnightly adverts there are details of successful bidders from previous lists so tenants are aware of the points level successful bidders had when the property was advertised. By looking at the results of successful bids, you may be able to identify properties in lower demand and available to those applicants with a lower points level.

Why has someone with fewer points than me been offered a property?

This may happen because

• your bid was received after the stated deadline
• you may have been unsuitable for the size or type of property
• the property may have had adaptations which the successful applicant was in medical need of

How will I know whether I have been successful?

The successful applicant(s) will be offered the property within 48 hours of the bid deadline. Where possible we will make contact in the first instance by telephone and then a written offer will be sent. If contact cannot be established with the successful applicant within the specified time stated on the offer letter, the offer will be withdrawn and will be offered to the next highest bidder.

Regretfully due to the volume of bids received and in order to run a cost effective service, we are not able to contact unsuccessful applicants but you will see from the subsequent adverts the points level of the successful applicants for the properties advertised. You can call the Homesearch team to see whether you are the successful applicant but we would encourage you not to telephone before the 48 hour deadline has been reached.

If you are the successful bidder, your Property Advisor will contact you to arrange an inspection of your current home. If your home does not meet the required standard, the offer will be withdrawn. It is obviously in your own interests to ensure your property is kept and maintained in good condition as this may affect your chances of a transfer.

If I view a property and don’t like it, will I be penalised if I refuse it?

We will not penalise you for refusing a property you have been offered if it is subsequently deemed to be unsuitable for your needs. However, if you refuse two properties which are regarded as suitable and refused without good reason, your application will be deferred from the Transfer List for six months. We will then write to you advising you if this applies to your application advising when your application will be re-activated. During the period of deferment, you will not be eligible to bid.

Deferred from the Transfer List

In some circumstances transfer applications may be temporarily deferred during which time an applicant will not be eligible to bid for properties. It is essential applicants advise Maidstone Borough Council of any changes in circumstances which may affect their application. Failure to advise the Council of changes in circumstances may result in an application being deferred.

Where a tenant’s property, during a pre-transfer inspection by a Housing Manager, is found not to meet the necessary standards, the application may be deferred until the applicant is tenancy compliant following a subsequent visit by the Housing Manager.

Applicants will be deferred for 12 months where it is proved an applicant has supplied false or misleading information when making an application.

Where an applicant has deliberately worsened their housing situation without reasonable cause their application will be deferred for a minimum of 6 months.

Appeal – The Right to Review

An applicant who is deferred, excluded or removed from our transfer list has a right to appeal within 21 days of the date of the exclusion.  A review will be undertaken by the Homesearch Manager and the tenant will be advised of the decision and the reasons for it. 

Applicants have the right to request such information as will enable him/her to assess how their application has been treated.

Challenges to review decisions may be made using Maidstone Borough Council's Complaints process.

If you have any queries regarding Kent Homechoice or would like further information, please contact a member of our team on 0800 923 2700 or the Maidstone Borough Council Housing Options team on 01622 602440.

date published: 23/06/2009