THOUSANDS of people, waiting for a home, are being asked to sign up for a new system, so they could be found housed anywhere in Devon.

THOUSANDS of people, waiting for a home, are being asked to sign up for a new system, so they could be found housed anywhere in Devon.

Over the next two weeks, East Devon District Council's housing service are writing to all 4,400 people on their housing register asking them to sign up to a new choice-based lettings scheme being launched later this year.

Devon Home Choice will enable people to bid for homes from January 2010, anywhere in Devon, but first the council needs to ensure that its housing register is completely up-to-date

A council spokesman said: "If anyone fails to re-register, their application will no longer be considered for housing and they will not be able to bid for properties when they become available."

Letters have been going out to the 700 existing gold band applicants, the highest priority, this week; while letters to silver and bronze band applicants will follow. Applicants will be given their Devon Home Choice banding/priority in December, before the new system goes live in East Devon.

East Devon District Council's portfolio holder for communities, Councillor Jill Elson said: "I would like to reassure those people already on EDDC's Housing Register that their existing housing application is safe and that the council will make offers of housing in the same way, until the new scheme goes live in East Devon at the end of January 2010.