Before choice based lettings, the typical way that social housing was allocated was for local housing authorities to maintain a housing register of need (usually a points based scheme) and then allocate vacant social housing (with identified exceptions) to the households who had the greatest housing need. The Council operates such a scheme and the current Housing Allocation Scheme was approved in February 2004.

Instead of councils offering available accommodation to eligible applicants, choice based lettings provides for this accommodation to be advertised through various means (web-sites, newsletters, lettings shops etc). Applicants then "bid" for the accommodation and this will be allocated to the eligible bidder who best meets the allocation criteria within the scheme.

The idea is that this gives the applicant greater choice and in exercising that choice, they are likely to act more responsibly and take better care of the property they have selected, pay their rent on time and not act antisocially within their neighbourhood.

Unsuccessful applicants who bid will also be able to access feedback so that they will understand why they were not successful.

It is also hoped that choice based lettings will enable and encourage greater mobility (e.g. from areas of high housing need to areas of relatively high housing supply).

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