Choice Based Letting (CBL)
Cork County Council has introduced a new way of letting dwellings to applicants called the Choice Based Letting Scheme (CBL). It has been live in North Cork since November 2016 and in South and West Cork since March 2017.
This scheme works on the basis that available dwellings are advertised on our dedicated website, www.cbl.corkcoco.ie on a weekly basis where available and applicants are asked to submit an expression of interest on a dwelling in which they are interested.
Countywide, to date, there have been over 262,512 views of and 34,022 expressions of interest on the system.
It has resulted in refusal rates dropping to 6% with 245 properties accepted of the 246 properties advertised since the system went live.
Choice Based Letting is a way that you can express your interest in renting a suitable council property in your preferred area. Dwellings will be advertised on a weekly basis from 00.00 Wednesday to 23.59 on the following Tuesday. Housing applicants should try and log in every week to check the dwellings that are available that week and those wishing to place an expression of interest, must to do so by 23.59 on Tuesday. A ‘suitable’ property is one that you have chosen to express interest in and that matches your housing needs.
Please note that only those applicant households that have expressed an interest in a bid dwelling under Choice Based Letting whose household composition suits the property type will be considered initially e.g. if you are approved for a three bedroom unit and bid on a four bedroom unit then you may not be considered. Also, note that you will need to log in every week to check whether you wish to express an interest in the properties advertised in that week.
You will also receive a weekly text alert to your mobile phone if a property in which you can express an interest is advertised on the Choice Based Letting System. You can also use the tablets provided in your local council offices or the internet facilities in your local library branch.
Please view our Choice Based Letting FAQs section below for further information or use our online enquiry form below for the area you are in.
Link to Choice Based Letting Application. As and from 24/06/2020 all approved applicants can now view and express an interest in all vacant properties countywide that are advertised on the CBL system. If you have any queries, please contact (021) 4386635.
Contact Details: Choice Based Letting (CBL), Housing Dept, Cork County Council, Floor 4, County Hall, Cork.
Tel: 021 4386635 or use our online enquiry forms:
Choice Based Letting FAQs
What is Choice Based Letting (CBL)?
Choice Based Letting is a way that you can express your interest in renting a suitable council property in your preferred area. A ‘suitable’ property is one that you have chosen to express interest in and that matches your housing needs.
Please note that only those applicant households that have expressed an interest in a bid dwelling under Choice Based Letting whose household composition suits the property type will be considered initially e.g. if you are approved for a 3 bed unit and bid on a 4 bed unit then you may not be considered.
Also note that you will need to log in every week to check whether you wish to express an interest in the properties advertised in that week. You will also receive a weekly text alert to your mobile phone if a property in which you can express an interest is advertised on the CBL system once you have logged your mobile number on the CBL system when you initially sign in to the CBL system. You can also use the tablets provided in your local council offices or the internet facilities in your local library branch.
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.corkcoco.ie. Cork County Council will keep the list of available properties up-to-date but you will need to check it every week.
Please note that most properties will be advertised on CBL, those that are specially adapted or properties required for particular circumstances such as units for the elderly will not be advertised.
Why is Cork County Council bringing in this new system?
Choice Based Letting is being introduced as part of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. It will show you available properties for letting. It has worked well elsewhere. We believe it will work well here too.
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, Cork County Council will decide which household is allocated the property. When deciding this, we will take account of factors such as:
- your waiting time on Cork County Council’s waiting list
- your family size
- the type of property needed
- your category of need under the Allocation Scheme and
- good Estate Management
If I am interested in a CBL property, what do I do?
You must place an expression of interest on it online. Note Cork County Council will only contact the successful applicant and call them in for an interview.
Please note that contact made by Cork County Council with the applicant household which it is considering for allocation under choice based letting does not constitute an official offer of housing. In addition the applicant household will have to pass the vetting procedure of Cork County 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.
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 main Divisional Offices in Annabella, Mallow, Kent Street, Clonakilty and Floor 4, County Hall as well as the council offices in Fermoy, Bantry and Youghal to use our tablet devices. You can also go to your local library to use the internet once you are a member of the library. You can also use a Smartphone or a tablet to access the CBL website. You will receive a weekly text alert to your mobile phone if a property in which you can express an interest in is advertised on the CBL system once you have entered your mobile number on the CBL system.
If I get a property through this system will I be taken off the housing list?
Yes as you will be adequately housed.
Can I still make a Housing Assistance Payment application?
If you are an applicant on the Social Housing Support waiting list, you can still apply for HAP. Please note that HAP is a social housing support. If you are housed under HAP you are adequately housed but may submit a transfer application request for consideration.
Will CBL affect my city 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 by a local authority, you will be deferred for one year off the social housing support waiting list of each local authority.
Will transfer tenants be eligible for CBL?
Yes
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.
What happens to my preference areas with regard to North Cork, South Cork and West Cork?
Preferred areas can cover up to three areas: North Cork, South Cork, and West Cork. You can express an interest in any vacant property advertised on CBL, regardless of what division it is located in.
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 off actors such as:
- your waiting time on Cork County Council’s waiting list
- your family size
- the type of property needed
- your category of need under the Allocation Scheme and
- good Estate Management
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.
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 in the main divisional office.
How many houses can I submit a bid for?
You can place one expression of interest per property advertised.
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 County 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.
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 County Council does not accept responsibility for applicant households who miss the deadline to express their interest in a property under Choice Based Letting.
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.corkcoco.ie to confirm at what stage in the allocation process the property is at, i.e. has it been allocated or still in the allocation process.
How do I know if I have correctly checked out a property on the CBL system?
Before the CBL period ends you can check your submitted properties tab, if the property appears then you have successfully checked out the property and will be included for consideration when the property is being allocated. Once the period ends you can view the Properties Update tab to see at what stage of the allocation process the property is at.
If the property does not appear in your submitted properties tab during the CBL period then you may not have checked out the property fully. You should check your basket and see if the property is there. If it is then it needs to be checked out fully. If it is not there then you have not selected this property at all. You must go to the list of available properties tab and begin the selection process again.