The council has a Choice Based Lettings scheme, brand name Homes4Wiltshire, for people seeking accommodation because their present homes are unsuitable.  Choice Based Lettings (CBL) schemes operate by means of ‘bids’ or expressions of interest in advertised homes from people in housing need. About 30 landlords providing affordable homes in the area including Wiltshire Council itself.

The council is very conscious that changes in the housing market mean more people are struggling to find suitable and sustainable accommodation.  For this reason, we want to speak to people early to help resolve housing problems quickly. Only customers with a housing need as defined in the council's Allocation Policy may be admitted to the Housing Register.

Demand for social rented housing
Demand for social rented housing significantly outstrips supply.  The key facts are that -

• many houses and one bedroom flats advertised by the council and the housing associations in popular areas attract over 100 bids
• the number of households on the council's Housing Register has grown by 227% in the last 5 years
• at present, there are about 4125 households in housing need on the Housing Register

Only about 350 council homes become available to let annually and the council relies heavily upon homes advertised by its partner housing associations to meet housing need.  The number of households registered for re-housing is over three times the number of homes advertised annually with numbers seeking to join the Housing Register continuing to rise.

Alternatives to social rent
We encourage all customers to seek accommodation in the private rented sector and further information about considerations when renting privately is available at Looking for a home - Wiltshire Council.  If you can potentially afford to buy a home, please see our Low Cost Home Ownership tab.

Do you have a housing need?
The Allocation Policy may be viewed here.  You will need to fall into one of the housing needs categories otherwise the council cannot admit you to the Housing Register -

• homeless or sleeping rough or
• statutorily overcrowded or
• lacking sufficient space for children or a disabled person or
• suffering domestic abuse or harassment or
• having a welfare or medical need to move eg home physically unsuitable or
• unable to meet one's own essential living costs eg rent, Council Tax, food, heating, clothing or
• home presently unsuitable for another reason

Pension age applicants with support needs without any of the above needs are admitted to the Housing Register.

Are you threatened with homelessness?
If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, or cannot stay in your home because of violence or abuse, please call 0300 456 0106 or email homeless@wiltshire.gov.uk.  For further information about the council's homelessness services, please see the council's website here.

To learn more about how the choice-based lettings works, please check our About Homes4Wiltshire pages above.  If you are a new housing applicant, and believe that you have a housing need under the council's Allocation Policy, please call 0300 456 0106 Monday to Friday 0900 to 1700 hours, except Wednesday, 1400 to 1700 hours.  Existing applicants, with questions about the operation of the choice-based lettings scheme, may call 0300 456 0104.