Choice Based Letting (CBL)

A new system to help people on Longford County Council’s Social Housing Support waiting list express interest in Council Accommodation.

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.

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. Applicants act on their own initiative to respond to advertisements and apply for dwellings which they would like to live in.

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?

When Longford 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, Town Hall, Market Square, Longford
• On the website of Longford County Council, www.longfordcoco.ie

Notices inviting bids will be published in the first week of any month in which a property is available.

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 two weeks of the publication of the notice, apply via email to cbl@longfordcoco.ie 

Your expression of interest should include:

• Your housing reference number
• CBL Reference and address of the property you wish to express an interest in
• Contact information

You must place an expression of interest on a property advertised only, otherwise we will not be able to consider you for the allocating of the property under Choice Based Letting.

How are Properties Allocated?

Where more than two households of the same category / class apply for a dwelling, the decision as to who will be offered the tenancy will be based on Longford County Council’s Allocation Scheme. However, notwithstanding this general provision, Longford County Council may refuse to allocate, or defer the allocation, of a dwelling to a person where the Authority considers, that the person is/has been engaged in anti-social behaviour, that an allocation to that person would not be in the interest of good estate management or that the person failed to provide information which the Authority considers necessary in connection with an application for an allocation. Furthermore, when considering the allocation of a bid dwelling to a particular household, the Housing Authority shall review the Social Housing assessment carried out in respect of that household and make a fresh determination of the household’s qualification for Social Housing Support.

Why is CBL being introduced?

CBL is being introduced as part of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. It will show you available properties for letting. It has worked well elsewhere and Longford County Council believes it will work here too.

I don’t have access to the internet – What should I do?

If you don’t have access to the internet, you are welcome to telephone the Housing Department, or call into the Housing public counter and our staff will be happy to help you. You can also go to your local library to use the internet.

Refusal of an Offer of a Bid Property?

Where a household refuses a reasonable offer of the allocation of a bid dwelling, that household shall not, for the period of one year commencing on the date of such refusal, be entitled to make a further application under CBL to any Housing Authority for the allocation of a bid dwelling.

Current Properties Available

Closing date for Expressions of Interest on the following properties is Friday 1st March 2024

📧 cbl@longfordcoco.ie

☎️ 043 334 3499

🌐 www.longfordcoco.ie