-
About CHOOSEaHOME
-
The CHOOSEaHOME scheme is designed to allow you to choose your home. Find out more here.
-
Who can bid for a home
-
It is important to know about our policies so that you are able to make best use of the CHOOSEaHOME scheme.
-
Keeping up to date
-
Our assessment of your band and hence the position you arrive in the queue is based on the information you provide.
-
Finding a new home
-
How to use this site to search for your new home.
-
How we choose
-
How your bid is processed and the likely timescales in which you can get a descision.
-
Successful lettings
-
Previously advertised properties that have been let will be listed here together with the successful applicant's band and band date.
-
Mutual exchanges
-
How to use the exchange scheme
CHOOSEaHOME
Golden Gates Housing Trust allocates all of its homes through our CHOOSEaHOME scheme.
Homes are advertised every Thursday in the following places:
1. On this website www.chooseahome.org.uk
2. The Warrington Guardian
3. All our local housing office
Once you have joined CHOOSEaHOME you can bid (a bid means express an interest) for suitable homes upto midnight each Sunday.
GGHT Houseproud Guarantee
Click here to download a leaflet that explains what you can expect from us both before and after you move in.
Useful Information
Click here to visit the Direct.gov site giving useful information on benefits and other subjects.
Complaints, Praise & Suggestions
We want you to be satisfied with our services and we would like you to tell us if we are succeeding or if there are areas in which we can improve. We are happy to receive your comments by any method you choose. Please click on contact for ways of contacting GGHT.
Please click to download our policy for more details of GGHT's allocations policy.
Can anyone apply to join the scheme?
Anyone over the age of 16 can apply to become a member of the scheme. Young people under the age of 18 will have their support needs assessed. By law, certain people subject to immigration control do not qualify for public sector housing. You can find out if you qualify by contacting us free on 0800 25 26 27.
How do I become a member of the scheme?
You can register online by clicking the join button on the left hand side of this page. You can also register by telephone by calling us free on 0800 25 26 27 Monday to Friday 8am to 6.30pm.
Once you are registered you will be sent a welcome letter containing your CHOOSEaHOME registration number, your password, your date of registration and your initial Banding level.
What if I need help accessing the CHOOSEaHOME scheme?
We have people available to show you how to access the scheme and make a bid for available homes. We can also put you in touch with support agencies, provide a translation service, information in large print and audio tape. Please click the contact tab for more information on how to contact us.
What if I have social, medical or disability related needs?
Depending on your needs we will contact you for further information once you have registered with us. Your priority for housing will based on your medical/social need and the property you are currently occupying.
We will normally ask for supporting information from your or someone such as your GP so that we can correctly assess your housing priority.
What if I am homeless?
You should contact Warrington Borough Council’s Housing Advice Centre on (01925) 442676. If you are assessed as being in immediate or urgent housing need, you will be given priority status for the next 8 continuous bidding weeks. You must bid for all suitable available properties that are advertised in this 8 week period. If you do not actively bid your priority status may be removed.
Is every property advertised on CHOOSEaHOME?
Yes, all GGHT homes are advertised through CHOOSEaHOME. We prefer to advertise the properties when we receive notice of the current tenant’s intention to leave. Although the property will be advertised during the notice period, it may be removed if the tenant decides to stay in their home.
Where and how often are homes advertised?
Available homes are advertised each Thursday. Bids close at midnight on SUNDAY on our website and 6.30pm by phone.
Housing Association Homes
Most Housing Associations in Warrington let their homes to applicants on the CHOOSEaHOME register. Housing Association homes are managed by independent organisations, often charities. As a result they tend to allocate homes in a different way than GGHT does.
Applicants who bid for Housing Association homes and are ranked at the top of their priority bands will be passed onto to the relevant Housing Association who will then consider making an offer.
How will I know if I am eligible for properties?
Each property is labelled with a short description, including the property type, number of bedrooms, special features and the weekly rent. So that we make best use of housing stock, the property may be labelled to say who will be given preference. For example, a 3 bedroom house may be labelled to say preference will be given to a family with 2 or more children.
Approximately half of all houses that we advertise are restricted to Band B, C or D applicants only. This will be shown under the description of each property we advertise.
How do I make bids?
- Telephoning our automated bid line on 08000 64 8000, 24 hours a day from Thursday to Sunday
- E-mailing us at info@gght.org.uk
- Calling in at any GGHT Office.
- Logging on to our website at www.chooseahome.org.uk
- Text message. Send to 60066 the following: Your CHOOSEaHOME registration number, the reference numbers of the homes you are interested in, eg Chooseahome 5432 Ref 001301, Ref 001302.
Bids must be made each Sunday by midnight.
Offers and Viewings
Following the closing of the bids, the CHOOSEaHOME team will generate a list of applicants who have successfully bid for properties. The successful applicant will be contacted and, subject to application checks, an offer will be made.
What is the banding system and how does it work?
All CHOOSEaHOME applicants are placed in one of four bands (A, B, C & D). Your band is determined by your personal and household circumstances. Applicants with the greatest housing need will be placed in the highest bands. A is the highest band and D is the lowest.
Band A
Applicant with urgent housing need eg accepted as homeless, urgent social or medical need.
Band B
Applicant with multiple housing need eg family with young children living in an overcrowded flat 1st floor flat.
Band C
Applicant with a single housing need eg family with young children living in a 1st floor flat that is not overcrowded.
Band D
Applicant with no housing need eg applicant living in a 3 bedroom house who wants to move to another 3 bedroom house in another area.
Where there is more than 1 applicant in the same Band bidding against the same property, the member with the earliest priority date will be ranked 1st. If the priority date is the same, the earliest registration date will be used.
What kind of checks will be carried out?
Depending on the responses to the question on your application we may ask you for proof or further information.
If you have children residing with you, who will be moving with you, we will ask to see confirmation of this. A statement of child benefit entitlement will be requested when you register and when you sign for a tenancy.
If you have ben asked to leave your current property, we will request a copy of the written notice, given to you by your landlord (Section 21 notice)
If you own a share in a property will request written confirmation of any equity you may have.
If you are offered a home we will ask for proof of identification when you come to sign for the tenancy. We will also confirm the details you have given us on your CHOOSEaHOME application. If the details on your application are not correct the offer will be withdrawn and your application cancelled.
If you are an existing Golden Gates Housing Trust tenant a housing officer will visit you to ensure that you have not breached your tenancy agreement and your property meets the minimum letting standard. If you have breached your tenancy or your property is in a state of disrepair which is not due to general wear and tear, you will not be offered the property and your CHOOSEaHOME membership may be suspended until the problem is resolved.
How will I know if my bid has been successful?
If we have not contacted you within 3 working days of the bidding cycle closing you can assume your bid has not been successful. Information about properties which have been let will be publicised on this website (click the successful bids button) and in housing office
What is an exchange?
An exchange is officially called a mutual exchange. This is when two or more tenants swap homes. It is not a move into an empty property. All secure or assured GGHT tenants, and housing association tenants can exchange homes provided that approval is given by Golden Gates Housing Trust (GGHT) and the Housing Association.
Who can I swap with?
Mutual exchanges need to be approved by GGHT and by the other tenant's landlord. Either of them can say no. If this happens, you cannot move into the other property and will have to look for another exchange partner.
How do I register for an exchange?
GGHT use the national HomeSwapper scheme. Membership is free for GGHT tenants. HomeSwapper automatically matches every advertised property against your requirements and will alert you by email or text message when a potential swap is found. The quickest way to register is by visiting www.homeswapper.co.uk.
Please note that HomeSwapper is not run by GGHT.
I have now found someone to swap with
Please contact us free on 0800 25 26 27 Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.30pm for more information and an exchange application form. You and the person you want to exchange with should then arrange to view each other's homes and if you still want to swap homes, complete an exchange application form each. A GGHT member of staff will visit both of you (if appropriate) and inspect your home. We will then let you know the outcome of your application.
|