Glossary

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Band: Applicants will be placed in a priority band, which reflects the current housing circumstances. There are four bands in this scheme.
Bid: Applicant's way of showing an interest in a property advertised. Applicants are allowed to place an unlimited amount of bids per advertising cycle.
Bidding Deadline: The deadline for placing bids each week. This is Midnight every Tuesday.
Choice Based Lettings: Homesfirst is a choice based lettings scheme. This means that available homes are advertised and customers are able to bid on properties they wish to be considered for. Properties are then offered to the eligible applicant with the highest priority according to the allocations policy.
Customer Needs Assessment: Before an offer is made a customer needs assessment will be made. Further information may be sought from external agencies, such as Police and Social Services.
Housing Associations, also known as Registered Social Landlords (RSL's): Housing providers, who also provide housing services such as housing for rent and sometimes shared ownership at affordable prices
Housing Register: This is the list of applicants
Lettable Standard: This tells you in what condition an applicant can expect to find a property offered to them by SARH. It also informs that SARH are meeting any statutory obligations, including fitness and general Health and Safety.
Management Lets: Most homes will be advertised through the CBL scheme. However, in certain circumstances, SARH will let a home directly to a customer and not advertise the home. Feedback will be provided showing all properties let in this way.
Schedule 1: The application, annual review and sign-up paperwork requires applicants to state if they are a Board member, member of staff or are a close relative of either. If there are any connections identified, the Director of Resources will then seek approval from the Tenant Services Authority before any offer can be made.
Short Listing: This is the list of applicants who have placed a bid on a property. This list is used to offer the property to the applicant with the highest priority in line with the Lettings Policy.
Independent Living Accommodation: Housing schemes with some support for over 55's and in exceptional circumstances under55's will be considered. Assessments are carried out to assess suitability when an offer is made.
Extra Care Housing: Housing schemes with various levels of support on site with some including more facilities then Independent Living Accommodation. More suited to the needs of frailer older people, applies to the over 55's and in exceptional circumstances under 55's. Properties are advertised if assessed as a low care site where as medium and high level sites are let through a panel.
References: All applicants have to provide two suitable references before their application be be made active. References are requested to try and make sure new tenants are able to maintain a tenancy and keep to the tenancy conditions and also help in identifying any tenancy or support issues that the applicant may have. References should be from a landlord or former landlord, employer or former employer or any other professional person. In some cases applications without references may be accepted, for example:
: Current SARH tenants (subject to no breaches of tenancy)
: Statutory homeless applicants in priority need.
: Other applicants who may genuinely not be able to provide two references.
: If a person can only provide one reference, they will be invited in for an office interview and their responsibilities as a tenant explained. Unless there is a significant issue that causes their application to be excluded from the Housing Register the application will be made active and they will be able to bid for properties. If the applicant does not supply suitable references (which include having an office interview ) within 28 days of submitting their details their application will not be made live.
: Local Lettings Policy
A local lettings policy applies to specific areas or properties for an agreed reason. They are often applied where there are new build properties or low demand for properties in areas were there may be social and management problems.: Local lettings policies are part of the CBL scheme, although:Eligibility rules for property types may be changed
Usually, if introduced to deal with social or management problems in an area they are time limited to 2 or 3 years. A clear project on intended outcomes is monitored and reported on annually, to ensure the identified outcomes are achieved and that the local lettings criteria needs to be continued: People can establish a local connection with an area because: they work there or have an offer of permanent employment;
Any local lettings criteria will be clearly explained in property advertisements. You will need to be registered on the Homes First Choice Based Lettings Scheme and when these properties are advertised place a bid on them.: Applicant has a local connection to the Village or Parish by band and then by band entry date
Applicant has a local connection to the Ward by band and then by band entry date: Applicant does not have a local connection to the Ward but has a local connection to Stafford Borough by band and then by band entry date
Applicant lives outside Stafford Borough and has no local connection by band and then by band entry date