A LAUNCESTON family living in overcrowded rented accommodation have switched to a new life and a new home through Cornwall Homechoice.

And the family have been explaining how the new single register and Choice Based Lettings System for the allocation of housing worked for them.

Mrs Trudi Pratt and her two children moved into their three bedroom house in St Dominick, Saltash last month after a successful application for a larger home.

They were over­crowded in their privately rented acc­ommodation in Laun­ceston and were keen to move to a larger house with a garden for the children to play in.

Mrs Pratt had applied to Homefinder and had been on a register since February, 2008. She was then asked to complete a new registration for Cornwall Homechoice in time for the going live date of March, 2010.

"I found the process quite straightforward," said Mrs Pratt.

"The whole process was explained to me and I was able to get help quite easily. After filling in the form, I kept my eye out for locally available houses and put in my bid as soon as I saw something suitable. We are all delighted that we were successful."

Homechoice replaced all the previously separate social housing allocation systems across Cornwall.

Homechoice removes the need to apply multiple times across Cornwall for properties to rent, buy or part buy under affordable housing schemes including council-owned properties and those properties owned and managed by housing associations.

Homechoice is designed to offer more choice and involvement for applicants in selecting a new home. It is an open, transparent and customer-based approach in the allocation of properties.

Available social rented housing is let by being advertised (including in the Cornish & Devon Post Series) and allowing customers to 'bid' or 'register an interest' in those homes.

Cornwall Council's Russell Hale, district housing manager for South East Cornwall Landlord Services said: "Applicants are able to view details of vacant social housing on the Council's website, in the local Saturday press, in libraries and in One Stop Shops. Applicants can then 'bid' on these vacancies and the successful bidder will be the applicant with the most housing need."

Mrs Pratt was the third applicant to be offered the property — the first applicant refused as she accepted the tenancy of a Cornwall Council house in Callington; the second applicant refused as she wanted to pursue another offer of a property in Saltash.

Mrs Pratt said: "We were in a two-bedroom property which was too small for us all and I had to walk along a main road to reach our allocated garden which was not ideal with a young child.

"This house is so much better for us and the Housing Officer from Cornwall Council was very helpful and friendly and so took the stress out of the situation as much as possible."