Camden’s allocations

Bringing choice to Camden ’s allocations

All of Camden Council’s available homes, and dozen’s of RSLs advertise each Thursday in the Camden New Journal (a borough wide free newspaper), at local housing offices, through the Internet and by mailshot. Free access to the Internet is provided at the main and local housing offices, as well as branch libraries.

Applicants registered for housing with Camden , are issued with a user ID and PIN number, and notified of their rehousing points and their eligible property size. Bids for properties by registered applicants can be made by phone, on the Internet or using text messaging. Bidders with the highest points (usually between three and five households) are invited to view the property with a member of Camden staff; contact is made by telephone to arrange this. There is no obligation to accept a property and no penalty for refusing. The applicant with the highest points who wants the property is successful in their bid. Results of previous advertisements are included in the weekly advertisement. Individuals are informed in advance of viewing as to whether they are first, second, third etc in the bidding process for a particular property.

Customer Testimonials

• “Wow - doing the virtual tour for a property was fantastic, it really gives an idea of what the flat is like…. so for someone who has very limited mobility due to severe illness it makes life so much easier as I don’t have to do exhaustive trips and bid for properties that I just guess will be suitable.”(Camden user with mobility problems using the Virtual Tour to view a property February 2005)
• “ Opportunity to bid for properties also encourages you to broaden your horizons.” (Home seeker from focus group aged 36)
• “I feel I am part of the decision making [process].” (Tenant waiting for 9 years, rehoused by Home Connections)
• “You have a chance to refuse without being suspended. Home Connections is brilliant. We feel that something is happening with our future.” (Tenant registered for housing for 6 years)
• “You can view the property before bidding so it enables you to see whether or not you could live there and check for things that would affect your decision to accept the property so this helps and definitely saves time.” (Natalie, Homeseeker in Camden using the Virtual Tour March 2005)