Frequently asked questions

ChoiceHomes@Pembrokeshire is the name of a choice based letting scheme run by Cymdeithas Tai Cantref, Pembrokeshire Housing and Pembrokeshire County Council.

ChoiceHomes@Pembrokeshire will advertise a list of available homes on the internet at www.ChoiceHomesPembrokeshire.org and in local area offices.

Once you apply to join the scheme and have received your membership number if there is a home which you would like to be considered for, just register your interest by telephoning 01437 764551, 01437 763688 or 01239 712000; or log onto the above website and entering your details; or by completing a bidding coupon. Don't forget to include your personal membership number, list the reference number of the homes you wish to be considered for and respond before the closing date. If you are successful we will contact you directly. If you do not hear from us don't worry another list will be advertised soon ? just keep trying.

You can collect an application form from any of the housing partner's offices.

Yes. With the form there is a set of guidance notes to assist you, but if you require further help you can call in or telephone any of the housing partners where assistance will be provided.

You band is determined by the answers you give to the questions on the applications form and is based on your current housing needs.

Bronze band will be for customers who want to move because of personal preference rather than because they have a pressing financial, welfare or medical need, e.g. owner-occupiers.

Silver band is for customers who have some need to move but who can generally manage within their current homes, e.g. customers in private rented accommodation or with a medical condition that would be alleviated by moving.

Gold band will be for customers where moving is essential e.g. some homeless customers or those lacking basic amenities.

Priority will only be given if the medical condition is affected by your current housing situation and will be alleviated if you move.

The level of priority will be based on the severity of the condition, the effect current housing has on it and the level of improvement moving will have on the condition.

No priority will be given for a medical condition, however severe, if moving will not improve the condition, if you already live in suitable accommodation or if adaptations can be carried out to your current home.

If your circumstances change you must inform us, by contacting any of the housing providers and completing a change of circumstances form (your date of registration will not be affected).

Generally speaking the majority of available homes will be advertised this way. There will be certain circumstances when vacant properties will not be advertised in the normal way. For example where landlords need to use vacant properties for temporary moves for their existing tenant or where a property has specific adaptation which has been identified for a particular case.

All available homes are listed on the Available homes page. You can also view them at www.ChoiceHomesPembrokeshire.org and www.Pembrokeshire.gov.uk.

Computers are available for your use at Council customer service centres, Pembrokeshire Housing offices, at all libraries and some voluntary agencies throughout the county.

If you see a home advertised that suits your needs you can apply directly for it by telephoning (01437) 764551 or (01437) 763688, by following the links at ChoiceHomes@Pembrokeshire.org or by completing a bidding coupon.

Don't forget to quote your membership number and the property's reference number. It will be your responsibility to make sure we receive your interest by the closing date indicated on the advert. Any bids received after that date will not be considered.

All properties i.e. general purpose, adapted disabled persons accommodation and retirement accommodation in high and lower demand areas, are included in the ChoiceHomes@Pembrokeshire scheme.

The size and type of home that you can bid for will depend upon the number of people in your household and the type of home you and your family require.All properties will have information listed beside it that describes the property. Some homes will be advertised specifically for certain people, e.g. properties that have adaptations for the disabled. Also, for some of our properties in rural areas, preference may be given to applicants who have a strong local connection with that area. We will check the customers' details to make sure that the criteria are matched. Please note that some of the homes advertised will still be occupied, and whilst we would encourage you to check that the location is suitable, you will only be invited to view the interior of the house if your application is successful. We would request that you do not disturb the present tenant by asking to view their home.

In some areas where there are a limited amount of properties, a percentage of homes will be advertised giving preference to those with a strong connection to that community. This does not mean that customers without a connection cannot apply, but when short-listing we will first look at customers who have strong links to that particular village. We will still look at suitability before making an offer and will only make an offer if the property suits the needs of the applicant in line with our policy.

Do not worry, you don't have to do anything, you will not be penalised for not responding. Another list will be advertised the following week, just keep looking.

If you are a homeless applicant and have been issued with a priority card, you must apply for any suitable homes within the stated time period. Failure to do so may result in the priority card expiring.

You can apply for up to three properties each week.

In most areas, there are a lot of people looking for a home, so we have fair rules that decide who gets first choice. Everyone will be placed into one of three bands, gold, silver or bronze depending on individual situations. Within those bands you will be placed in date order of when your current application was received.

All applicants that apply for, and meet the criteria of a property, will be matched according to their housing need. Priority card holders will be matched first, gold band second, silver band and lastly bronze band. If more than one household is matched in any group then date of registration will be the deciding factor.

Priority cards will not count for the most popular properties, (properties that receive more than 100 bids).

This is difficult to predict as it depends on your level of need, choice of area, the type of property you apply for and the availability and popularity of that type of home. The feedback we provide on the successful customers will give you some idea of how long your may have to wait for a similar property.

Unfortunately due to the number of customers who apply each week, we will not be able to contact everyone. We will therefore only contact you if your have been successful. If you do not hear anything within ten days of the closing date, please assume you have not been successful and keep trying. The feedback provided will give you the band and date of the successful person and may explain why you were not successful and how long you may have to wait before being made an offer on a similar property.

The details of the application with the highest priority will be checked to make sure that the information given on the application form is correct. It will be at this stage that we will also check things such as rent arrears (applicants with rent arrears will not normally quality to be offered a property - please contact your housing provider, who can provide the appropriate advice regarding rent arrears).

If the details are correct and your bid is successful, we will contact you directly, making you a provisional offer and arrange for you to view the property.If you are still interested in the property we will make you a formal offer and advise you of when you can sign the tenancy agreement and move in.

If you receive a written offer, or whilst viewing the property you change your mind or you decide it does not meet your needs, don't worry, you will not be penalised for refusing an offer (unless you have been made an offer in connection with a priority card (homeless customers)). Just keep looking and applying for future houses in the normal way.

Unfortunately we have a very limited amount of properties and demand will always outweigh supply. However this way of allocation relies on you, the customer, applying for homes.

If you do not apply, you will never be offered a property via the scheme.

To assist you in making the right decisions we will regularly make available a report on the amount of interest we received from each advert. This will give you some indication of how many people have applied for each home and how long the successful person had to wait, which may assist you in choosing the type of home you should apply for if you wish to move more quickly.

In most cases, Pembrokeshire Housing properties are ready to move into within a week of the previous tentant vacating it.

If you become homeless, you will need to contact the homeless duty officer located at Pembrokeshire County Council's offices at County Hall, Haverfordwest who can help you to complete a homeless form and provide you with advice and assistance. If you are declared in priority need, you will be issued with a priority card, which will be valid for a limited time.

No. ChoiceHomes@Pembrokeshire is simply a new way of allocating housing. Your rights as a tenant remain unchanged. However, please seek advice from the individual landlords regarding issues such as right to buy, right to acquire etc.

No. The normal rules for housing benefit still apply. For more information please contact one of our Welfare Benefits Advisors.

Yes, once a year we will write to you to confirm your circumstances have not changed since joining the scheme. If you fail to return the form, your application will be cancelled and you will not be able to apply for homes until you re-register. The date you re-apply with then become the new date used to determine your place within the bands.

Discuss with us the choices you have made in your application, you may be able to increase your chances of an offer by changing your choice of area or type of property.

Pembrokeshire Housing welcomes feedback from our customers, whether they are compliments, suggestions for service improvements, or complaints.

You can give us this feedback in writing by post or email, or by talking to us, over the phone or in person.

We have a formal process for complaints.