Choice Based Letting

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Welcome to

Choice Based Letting

  Tutorials

NOTICE

Please note that Cork City Council is currently performing our annual review of housing applications under the Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA) 2023.

SSHA review forms have been posted to all applicants who need to be reviewed.

Failure to return this form may result in your housing application being closed.

The closing date for the return of these documents is 29/09/2023

**Please note that if you are a HAP/RAS Tenant or a Transfer Applicant or have been recently assessed you will not receive a review form.**

 

  Disclaimer

Disclaimer

Even though care has been taken in the preparation and publication of the contents of the Cork City Council’s Choice Based Letting website, Cork City Council does not assume legal or other liability for any inaccuracy, mistake, mis-statement or any other error of whatsoever nature contained herein. Cork City Council hereby formally disclaims liability in respect of such aforesaid matters. The information contained within Cork City Council’s Choice Based Letting website is of a condensed and general information nature only and can change from time to time. It should not, by itself, be relied upon in determining legal rights or other decisions. Readers / users are advised to verify, by direct and live contact with Cork City Council, any information on which they may wish to rely. Cork City Council has endeavoured to attribute copyright or other intellectual right to the rightful owners where such course has been appropriate. Where any attribution has been missed or overlooked Cork City Council, on being informed, will correct and otherwise make good. Cork City Council has not reviewed any or all of the sites linked to its website. Cork City Council is not responsible for the content of any site linked to its website or any off-site pages. These links where they are inserted, if any, are provided solely as a convenience.

Cork City Council shall have no liability to the user either in contract or in tort for any loss suffered by the user resulting from the use of the Choice Based Letting website. The user shall have sole responsibility for maintaining and keeping safe their user name and password details.

Due to the nature of interactive services and the Internet generally, Cork City Council gives no warranty or commitment that the use of the sites will be free from interruptions or errors and Cork City Council shall have no responsibility or liability in respect of or arising out of any communication or network defects, breakdown, malfunction, error, delays or failures (whether temporary or otherwise) encountered by users while using the sites.

Clicking on certain links within Cork City Council’s websites may take the user to other websites and Cork City Council shall have no responsibility or liability of any kind for the accuracy or content of any information or any other aspect of any other websites.

Cork City Council has no responsibility to the user in respect of services supplied by third parties and gives no warranty as to satisfactory quality, fitness for purpose or compliance with any description in relation to such services. The terms implied by Section 39 of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act, 1980 of Ireland are hereby excluded from these terms and conditions in respect of any services supplied by third parties.

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of Ireland (excluding laws governing the conflict of laws) and the parties submit to the jurisdiction of the Irish Courts. This will not prevent Cork City Council from pursuing a claim for breach of contract, copyright infringement or otherwise in respect of these terms and conditions in any other jurisdiction.

Copyright Notice

Unless otherwise stated or appearing, the copyright and other intellectual rights attaching to information or data contained within the Choice Based Letting website are held by Cork City Council. Reproduction of all or any of the contents of the Cork City Council websites, in any form, is prohibited save with the prior written authorisation of Cork City Council. Cork City Council hereby gives a general consent to the use of such information for bona fide personal use and also for the recopying of all or any of the contents of the Cork City Council websites for genuine and bona fide information dissemination purposes where the source of the information is properly acknowledged and where such acknowledgment contains and refers to the web address of Cork City Council. However, this general consent does not extend to the use or copying of Ordnance Survey data/maps as copyright over such data is vested in Ordnance Survey of Ireland.

Cork Coat of Arms/Crest/Logo Notice

Any downloading, copying, use or reuse of Cork City Council's Coat of Arms, Crest or Logo, shall be unauthorised unless downloaded, copied, used or reused in accordance with the prior written permission of Cork City Council (to which conditions may attach). The purpose of this restriction is to protect the Coat of Arms, the City Council and the City and its people from an inappropriate use of the Coat of Arms/Crest/Logo or from any use which might reflect badly on the City, its citizens or its City Council. Application for such permission should be made prior to downloading, copying, use or reuse to the Director of Corporate Affairs at corporateaffairs@corkcity.ie. Generally there will be no charge or cost implications attaching to the permission.

  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • 1) What is Choice Based Letting (CBL)?
     

    Choice Based Letting is a way that you can express your interest in renting a suitable property in your preferred area.  You will need to log in every week to view available properties and express interest ('bid') on any suitable properties which will meet your housing need.

    A ‘suitable’ property is one that matches your approved housing need, on which you have expressed interest. Please note that you will not be considered for the offer of any properties which are not of an appropriate size for your household composition.

    Properties will be available to view and express interest for a 1 week period commencing on a Tuesday night. You can log in and 'bid' at any time during this week long period.


     
  • 2) What properties will be available using CBL?
     

    There will be a range of residential properties available.  They will be advertised on the CBL website cbl.corkcity.ie.  and you will need to check it every week. 

    Please note that most properties will be advertised on CBL but not all such as those that are wheelchair accessible or properties required for particular circumstances such as elderly units.

     
  • 4) What happens if several people are interested in letting the same property as me?
     

    If there is more than one household interested in letting the property that you are interested in, we will decide which household is allocated the property.

    When deciding this, we will take account of factors such as:

    • If your household composition/family size is appropriate for the property;
    • Your waiting time on Cork City Council’s waiting list;
    • The urgency of your housing need as specified in the Allocations Scheme;
    • Any other relevant circumstances impacting your housing need; and
    • Good Estate Management

     
  • 5) If I am interested in a CBL property, what do I do?
     

    You must place an expression of interest on it online by completing the bidding process during the week that the property is advertised on the CBL system.  

    Please note that only the successful applicant will be contacted as part of the pre-allocation process.

    Contact made by Cork City Council with the applicant household which it is considering for allocation under choice based letting does not in itself constitute an official offer of housing, only that the applicant is under consideration for such an offer. The offer will only proceed on satisfactory completion of the pre-allocation process by Cork City Council. 

    This procedure includes an interview and a Garda Check and Estate Management clearance as well as the provision of updates to your housing file to ensure you are still eligible for social housing support.

     
  • 6) 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 come into the Council Offices to use our computers.  You can also go to your local library to use the Internet.  You can also use a Smartphone or a tablet device to access the CBL website.

     
  • 7) If I am offered a house will I be able to view it before I make a decision?
     

    You will be able to view the dwelling prior to accepting a tenancy.  However, you have already committed to taking it in it's current condition by expressing interest in the property through the CBL website.  

    Please note that contact made by Cork City Council with the applicant household which it is considering for allocation under choice based letting does not constitute an official offer of housing until such time as that applicant household has passed the vetting procedure of Cork City Council.  This procedure comprises of an interview and a Garda Check and Estate Management clearance as well as the provision of updates to your housing file.

     
  • 8) If I get a property through this system will I be taken off the housing list?
     

    Yes, as you will be adequately housed.

     
  • 10) Will CBL affect my county council application?
     

    If you are housed through CBL, you are removed from both social housing support waiting lists.  If you refuse a property offered to you under CBL, you will be deferred for one year off both social housing support waiting lists.

     
  • 11) Will transfer tenants be eligible for CBL?
     

    Yes.

     
  • 12) What is the difference between CBL and the current housing list?
     

    Applicants on the Social Housing Support waiting list can express interest online in CBL Dwellings advertised.  If applicants do not express an interest in a property or the properties advertised, they will not be considered for them.

     
  • 13) What happens to my preference areas with regard to Northside, City Centre and Southside?
     

    All applicants can view and express interest on all available properties, irrespective of the original areas of choice you chose when submitting your application form.

     
  • 14) Is it first come first serve as to when I place my expression of interest online on a property in a given week?
     

    No.  Allocations are made in accordance with the Allocation Scheme.

    If there is more than one household interested in letting the property that you are interested in, we will decide which household is allocated the property.  When deciding this, we will take account of factors such as:

    • Your waiting time on Cork City Council’s waiting list
    • Your family size
    • The type of property needed
    • Your category under the Allocation Scheme and
    • Good Estate Management
     
  • 15) What will happen my time on the list with CBL? Will I still have the same time?
     

    Your time will remain the same.  However, if you do not express interest in a property or in properties online, you will not be considered for them.  As most properties will be on Choice Based Letting going forward, you will miss out on being considered for them if you do not place your interest online.

     
  • 16) I am not able to work a computer, what should I do?
     

    A demo can be shown to you by a member of the housing staff.

     
  • 17) How many houses can I submit a bid for?
     

    You can express interest on any suitable properties which are advertised on the CBL site during the week long period of advertisement.

     
  • 18) If I submit a bid for a house that was taken down from the website a few months ago, and is now back online, will my previous bid be taken into account?
     

    No.  You will have to express interest online again if you have an active social housing support application.

    Please note that Cork City Council reserves the right not to allocate a bid dwelling under Choice Based Letting to applicant households in a given week and reserves the right to re-advertise the bid dwelling again in another time period.

     
  • 19) What if I miss the deadline for expressing interest in a property?
     

    You will not be considered for the allocation of that dwelling if you have not expressed an interest in it.

    Please note that Cork City Council does not accept responsibility for applicant households that miss the deadline to express their interest in a property under Choice Based Letting.

     
  • 20) What if I want a list of those that expressed an interest in the dwelling?
     

    Please note that details of individual household applicants for a bid dwelling under Choice Based Letting will not be available for public release in accordance with Data Protection requirements.

    A Properties update category will be available to you on cbl.corkcity.ie to confirm that the property was allocated after a reasonable period of time.

     
  • 21) What are Approved Housing Bodies?
     

    Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) (also called housing associations or voluntary housing associations) are independent, not-for-profit organisations.

    AHBs provide housing in response to a range of different needs including families on low incomes, households with special needs, such as older persons, people with disabilities and homeless persons.  AHBs work in partnership with Local Authorities and take nominations from the Local Authority to fill available accommodation provided by an AHB.

    Approved Housing Bodies also include housing co-operatives, which are housing organisations controlled by their members/tenants who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions.