The HomeOption website was relaunched on Thursday 12 May 2022.
The new website will make it easier for you to bid on properties, update us with any changes to circumstances and provide supporting documents.
Changes to the website will not affect existing housing applications in any way. Your points allocation and bedroom size entitlement will remain the same unless your circumstances have changed.
To use the upgraded HomeOption website, existing customers and new applicants will need to create new login details using an email address and secure password. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause but you will not be able to access your account until you complete this step.
A step-by-step guide can be found at HomeOption, you should read this carefully.
If you're showing any symptoms of COVID-19 or have had a positive COVID-19 test result in the last 10 days, you must not place any bids.
Properties are advertised weekly.
Applicants will be notified by the Housing Options Team if they have been successful for an offer of pre-allocation of accommodation, however, due to the ongoing restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic there will be delays in viewing of properties and many properties are not ready to view at this present time. Where possible we will arrange viewings adhering to the social distancing requirements.
Once properties are ready to let we will contact you to arrange a safe social distancing viewing and email you details of how this will be performed.
If you have received an offer of a Housing Association property please contact them directly.
Once you have applied to and been accepted onto the Housing Register (as a 'Home Seeker') or Transfer List ('Transfer'), you can express an interest in properties. This is also called bidding for properties.
All available properties are advertised weekly on the HomeOption website. The cycle will open on a Friday at 9am and close at 1pm the following Wednesday. Your expressions of interest must be registered before the 1pm deadline otherwise they will not be registered.
Each week, you can express an interest in up to three properties in a number of ways:
- online at the HomeOption website
- by telephone
- by text.
Please note: If expressing interest by text or telephone you must only express interest in the properties that you are eligible to express interest for and be in accordance with your bedroom need or the expression of interest will be ineligible.
We then offer the home to the applicant with the highest need, according to our Allocations Policy. If the applicant and the provider are both happy after the viewing that the household meets the criteria for the property and is suitable for it, a formal offer of a tenancy is usually made.
Where any applicant refuses two reasonable offers of accommodation within 12 months then their application will be deferred for twelve months. Unless an accepted Homeless Case where it is only one reasonable offer of accommodation and if that's refused the duty to house you could end.
Which properties can I express an interest on?
You can express an interest in any type of property you are eligible for. You will be told what you are eligible for in a letter when you join the register.
Some restrictions do apply such as:
- you cannot bid on a property which is too big or too small for your needs
- adapted and will usually be reserved for people with disabilities
- some ground floor properties may be reserved for people with mobility needs
- sheltered accommodation is only available to people aged 65 or over or for applicants who meet the scheme's disability requirements
- some properties are age-restricted such as 50 +
- Transfer applicants will be prioritised for bungalows
Full details about how to express interest for a home are on the HomeOption website.
