We only accept applications via the online form. To complete the form, you will need to have to hand, your national insurance number, income and savings details and details of your previous addresses with dates.

By law all local authorities must have a policy for determining how social housing is allocated in its district. By registering, we have the information we need to make sure that those who have the greatest need are given priority for housing, in accordance with government guidance.

Some local authorities, do not own any properties, so their allocation schemes are for determining priorities for the nomination of applicants to Registered Providers (RPs). In those local authority areas, an applicant will be offered accommodation by a Registered Provider (RP), usually a housing association.

You will need to login to your account (you need to be registered) to view and bid on available properties. Go to Your account and Your Current Bids section and click place a bid.

You will be able to express an interest for a maximum of 3 properties in each weekly cycle. Please read the information on the property advert very carefully to ensure you are making the right choice. Expressing an interest inappropriately creates a longer waiting time for others.

Also, some councils will automatically penalise you for refusing properties you have chosen. Your council/landlord will advise you if any action will be taken because you have refused a property, for example, your application may be suspended for a period of time if you have refused properties on multiple occasions. Please refer to the relevant council’s Allocations Policy for further details

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Once properties have been let they are listed on the Feedback page on the website. This may be some time after the property was advertised and you placed your bid. The feedback tells you how many people expressed an interest for each property, as well as the band/points and registration date of the successful applicant. This helps you to see how long the successful applicants had been waiting.

It is not possible to notify you individually when your bids have been unsuccessful.

Can the HomeOption scheme refuse to accept me onto a participating council’s Housing Register? There are some people who are not eligible to be included on a council’s Housing Register, for example:

• an applicant who is subject to immigration control

• an applicant (or a member of their household) who is guilty of unacceptable behaviour serious enough to make them unsuitable to be a tenant.

• applicant who has deliberately given false or misleading information or withheld relevant information in connection with their application

• most councils will also have qualifying criteria to establish whether you have a local connection to their district

Each of the Local Authority areas, together with CHP, have their own Allocations Policy which detail their eligibility criteria. Please visit the relevant council’s website for more details.

• Evidence of your right to reside in the UK if you are not a British Citizen
• Proof of address
• ID for all household members on your application
• Proof of income and savings

All documents provided must NOT be originals, but must be up-to-date copies and valid.
Before you are offered a property you may also need to provide additional evidence to support your application. The landlord making the offer will advise you about which documents to provide and when and how to provide them.

It is important that you tell us of any changes to your circumstances as it may affect your application.

You will need to log in to your HomeOption account and complete a change of circumstances form if you are adding an adult to the application, or if you have changed your address. After you submit this form you will not be able to bid on vacant homes whilst we reconsider your eligibility and priority. This delay should be no longer than 28 working days.

If your circumstances have otherwise changed, you will need to contact your local authority to advise of the changes. Documentary proof of any changes is usually required.

Please note you do not need to contact your local authority if your email address or contact telephone numbers have changed as you can easily update this information yourself through your HomeOption account.

Affordable Rent is intended to help those who would not otherwise have been able to afford housing in the private sector. It is designed to provide an alternative to traditional social rent and greater access to affordable homes for more people. The difference between Social Rent and Affordable Rent is that Affordable Rent will be slightly higher as it allows the landlord to charge up to 80% of market rent levels within the local area. But these rents will still be low and affordable. However, landlords may carry out a financial assessment as part of their short listing process to ensure it is affordable to each applicant, before they will proceed with an allocation.

If you are eligible for housing benefit you and your family type is suited for the property then Housing Benefit should pay the higher rent. However, if you are unsure please contact your council’s Housing Benefit team. Affordable Rent properties will be allocated in the same way that Social Rent properties are now through HomeOption and there will be no change to the services tenants will receive. Affordable Rents will only apply to new development or converted void properties and will not apply to all social housing. Because the partner landlords are only applying these rents to a percentage of properties, from time to time you may see two identical properties in the same street advertised at two different rents.

Some properties are now advertised as fixed term tenancies. The type of tenancy being offered will be indicated on the advert for each property. Rather than offering a tenancy that can be in place for life these tenancies will have a fixed term, some will be 5 years some might be 20 years. New tenants may be offered a one year introductory tenancy.

Please read each advert carefully to ensure you understand what you are applying for as our different housing providers will be offering different terms and conditions with their fixed term tenancies. In most cases, when the fixed term comes to an end, another fixed term tenancy will be issued. Only in exceptional cases would the registered provider not renew it. Exceptions could include:

• Persistent rent arrears

• Persistent delay in paying rent

• Anti-social behaviour

• Neglect of property

• Under-occupancy of 2 or more bedrooms