Customer finds new home using Property Pool Plus

Published by Laura Beckett for Halton Housing Trust in Housing and also in Communities, Environment

Halton Housing Trust has welcomed its first customer through Halton’s new choice based letting service, Property Pool Plus.

Pensioner Brian Street was offered his new home within a week of registering, describing the new service as “very easy to use.”

72- year- old Brian left his home of 30 years in Windmill Hill, Runcorn, after his partner died, as he felt that it was too large to manage. Now living in a one bedroom flat with views over the River Mersey, he is settling in well and his former home has now been given to a larger family.

Brian said: “I went into Halton Housing Trust and they registered me on the waiting list and helped me to bid. It was very quick and the staff were very helpful. As the registration is done online, it was good to have someone to show me how.”

Property Pool Plus is a new way of allocating social housing, where all available homes across Halton, Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral are advertised on one website. Applicants are grouped into “bandings”, based on their needs and the length of time they have been on the waiting list. The Trust manages the scheme in Halton. Pat Hansen, Housing Options Manager, has seen a steady increase of people using the service.

She said: “I’ve been receiving feedback about how easy the service is to use and that’s fantastic. I’m really pleased that Brian is happy in his new home. He was one of the first of our customers to bid and be successful on Property Pool Plus. 

“Over 20 housing associations advertise their properties on the website every week, so there are homes to suit a wide range of needs and family sizes.”

Anyone needing further information should contact the Trust on 0303 333 0101 or visit the Property Pool Plus website at www.propertypoolplus.org.uk