How to join the housing register

All the main providers advertise their properties through Cumbria Choice.  You have to register to take part in the scheme and you can do this through the Cumbria Choice Based Lettings Housing Allocations Partnership (Cumbria Choice).

Cumbria Choice

Cumbria Choice is a housing allocations partnership between us, Accent Housing, Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council,  Castles and Coasts Housing Association, Home Group, Riverside, and South Lakes Housing. Who have agreed to let homes in Cumbria through this partnership.

Go to Cumbria choice to register and for more information on the housing allocation partnership.

How is my application assessed?

The registration process includes an assessment of your current housing circumstances, this assessment will determine the level of priority awarded to your application. There are three housing need bands:

• Band A: Urgent housing need to move
• Band B: Statutory housing need to move
• Band C: All other applicants in housing need.

Your application will be placed into one of them. It is important to answer all the questions otherwise your application could be banded incorrectly. You must also answer all questions honestly, if you deliberately give false or misleading information to gain housing, court action may be considered which could lead to a fine and/or eviction.

Can anyone join the Register

Read who can use this service on Cumbria Choice.

When will I be offered a property

The registration date of your application form will be either:

• the date the application is received at the office of any partner organisation
• the date the online form was received.

You will need to bid on properties you are interested in.

See the allocations policy on Cumbria Choice Based Lettings.

Local Lettings Policies

Local Lettings Plans are agreed local plans for the allocation and letting of homes within an agreed community / location or across a type of property. The aim of these plans is to encourage sustainable and balanced communities. 

Local Lettings Plans most commonly outline the age a person needs to be or the local connection they must have before an allocation will be made.

Local lettings policy (PDF: 217Kb / 2 pages)

See What is Choice Based Lettings? for details of the local lettings plans that apply to Eden Housing Association properties.

Appeal against a Cumbria Choice housing allocation decision

Cumbria Choice applicants who want to query a decision made in relation to their application to register and any other subsequent decisions should first able to speak to the Officer making the decision to have that decision clarified or amended. This is outside the review process and does not affect a customer's right to ask for a formal review of the decision.

There is a right to a review of a decision in the following situations:

• the customer disagrees with the band in which they have been placed
• the customer considers that a decision has been reached based on incorrect information
• the customer has been treated as ineligible on the basis of their immigration status
• they have been treated as ineligible to join the register due to serious unacceptable behaviour
• their application has been given reduced preference.