What is Choice Based Letting?

Choice Based Letting (CBL) is a method that can be used for the allocation of Social Housing which is designed to offer more choice and involvement for applicant households in selecting a new home. Available Social Housing is let by being openly advertised, allowing qualified households to apply for available homes.

When properties are available, they will be advertised.

There are currently no properties available under Choice Based Letting

A qualified household is one which has applied for Social Housing Support and whose application has been approved or one which is already in receipt of Social Housing Support and who has applied to transfer to another form of support whose application for such transfer has been approved.

A suitable property is one that matches your approved housing need.  Applicants act on their own initiative to respond to advertisements and should only express an interest in the property for which they are eligible in terms of the number of bedrooms.

It should be noted that where a household refuses a reasonable offer of the allocation of a bid dwelling, the household shall note, for a period of one year, commencing on the date of such refusal, be entitled to make a further application under Choice Based Letting.

What Properties will be available under CBL?

The Scheme only applies to dwellings which have been specifically designated by the Housing Authority for CBL, which are then referred to as ‘bid dwellings’.

How are Properties Advertised?

Properties available under Choice Based Letting will be advertised on the Council’s website. The page will provide details of the property/properties available.

When Westmeath County Council designates a property for allocation under CBL, notices advertising the availability of the property and inviting applications will be published:

• In the Housing Department, Civic Office, Athlone and County Buildings, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, and
• On the website of Westmeath County Council, www.westmeathcoco.ie

How can households apply for a Property which has been advertised?

Households that wish to be considered in the allocation of a bid dwelling must, within three weeks of the publication of the notice, apply via email to cbl@westmeathcoco.ie 

Your expression of interest should include:

• Your housing reference number (if available)
• Address of the property you wish to express an interest in (if a household wants to express interest in more than one advertised property, they must list the properties in order of preference)
• Your contact information including telephone no., email address and current address