Wiltshire

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. The council only admits working age customers with a housing need as defined in the council's Allocation Policy to the Housing Register but wishes to advise everyone about their housing problems.

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 food, heating 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.

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.

Demand for social rented housing
Demand for social rented housing significantly outstrips supply.  At present, many houses and one bedroom flats advertised by the council and the housing associations 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, 3 times as many as homes advertised.  Each year, about 350 council homes are advertised and the council relies heavily upon the housing associations to advertise their homes to help meet housing need.

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, advice about low cost home ownership is available from Help to Buy South.

To learn more about how the choice-based lettings works, please check our About Homes4Wiltshire pages above.