Which properties to bid for

You will be informed what type of accommodation you can bid for when your application is accepted to the housing register.  This is normally determined by how many people are in your household, the age of any children and whether you need sheltered accommodation. When you log in to your account, you will be able to see the properties you are eligible to bid for. When choosing a property to bid for, you need to consider a number of things:

Is there an age or other restriction on the property?

Some properties have a minimum age requirement, for example, in some cases only people over 60 can apply. Retirement or Sheltered housing properties are usually for people aged 60 years or over. In some areas, preference is given to applicants who can demonstrate a local connection to the village or parish.If any restrictions apply these will be shown on the adverts.

Will I get a property in the area I want?

We encourage you to bid for any area in which you are interested. However, in rural areas, preference will be given to applicants who have a local connection to that parish or cluster, in the first instance.

Can I afford the rent?

It's important to make sure that you can afford the rent and all other bills for any property that you bid for. Information about the level of housing benefit can be found on Valuation Office.

Some properties have a mobility sign

Mobility signs provide a guide to people who have various levels of mobility needs.
This does not restrict anyone else from bidding for these properties but priority will be given to households whose needs match the property.

Pets

Some landlords will not allow you to keep pets. Some landlords will allow one pet with permission. Do not take on a pet until you are settled in accommodation and have obtained written permission.  If you already have a pet, you should always check with the landlord before bidding and consider that pets may restrict the likelihood of being offered accommodation where pets are not allowed.

Circumstances where you may not be invited to view a property

We always carry out a final check on your circumstances before we invite you to view a property.

It is important that you always tell us about any changes to your circumstances. If you have failed to tell us something that affects your entitlement to housing or the type of housing you have bid for, it is likely that the Council would take legal action against you.

Before you bid

Sometimes applicants fail to respond to an offer of housing or don’t attend viewings because they don’t really want to take the offer. Some households will only be made one offer of accommodation that the Council considers reasonable so it is important you always respond and make the Council aware of any reasons why a particular area is not safe for you.