Galway City Council introduced a new system for the allocation of social housing called Choice Based Letting (CBL) on 7th April 2021. CBL is a web based system where qualified housing applicants can register an interest in social housing units due for letting. The main benefit of CBL is that it allows for greater choice and involvement in the letting process by the applicant.
Throughout March 2021, Galway City Council wrote to all eligible housing applicants to advise them that CBL was being introduced, how it works and how to log-in to the online system. CBL went live on the 7th April and applicants can now express interest in houses, in their area of preference.
Once registered with CBL, applicants will be notified by e-mail of eligible houses as they are advertised. For example, applicants qualified for a three-bed house with an area of preference in the east of the city will only be notified of such properties. Dermot Mahon, A/Director of Services, Housing Department, states: “Choice Based Letting allows for choice in the letting of social housing. I would encourage all eligible applicants to log on to the system so that they can be notified of upcoming homes for letting.”
Homes will be advertised at regular intervals for a period of one week, from Wednesday to the following Tuesday, and it is only during this time that an expression of interest in a home may be submitted. Users will need to access the system each time they receive an email notification to see what houses are available as expressions of interest may only be submitted online. Access to the CBL system is via the Galway City Council’s website at cbl.galwaycity.ie which is accessible by smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.
Helena Martyn, A/SEO Housing advises that: “All expressions of interest will be reviewed in accordance with Galway City Council’s Scheme of Letting Priorities and the successful applicant will be duly notified. Applicants should only submit an expression of interest in a house that they are willing to live in and suitable to their approved housing need. Should an applicant refuse an offer of a house that they expressed an interest in, they will not be able to make further bid on the CBL system for a period of one year”.
Both Galway City Council and Approved Housing Body houses will be advertised on CBL. However, it should be noted that certain homes that meet particular needs such as older person dwellings, specially adapted wheelchair accessible dwellings, and Traveller group scheme housing, will not be allocated through Choice Based Letting. In such cases, Galway City Council will allocate homes to families by making direct contact with these applicants.
CBL Information Packs were issued to eligible applicants in March, containing log-in details and information on how the system operates. Applicants are encouraged to register their details on the CBL system as soon as possible. Further Information on CBL is available on cbl.galwaycity.ie. Short video tutorials on how to log in to the system, place an expression of interest in a property have been developed. More general information is available on https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/choice-based-lettings/