Swindon Home Bid

Wednesday, 10-Mar-2010
Home>Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

                                   
  1. Who can apply for properties through Swindon Home Bid?
  2. How do I apply to join the Housing Register?
  3. What other documents do I need to provide?
  4. How do I know if I have been accepted onto the Housing Register?
  5. Can you refuse to accept me onto the Housing Register?
  6. What are priority Bands?
  7. What do I do if I change my address?
  8. What do I do if my circumstances change?
  9. How often are properties advertised?
  10. Where are properties advertised?
  11. What information will the property adverts contain?
  12. How do I apply for a property?
  13. How many properties can I express an interest in?
  14. How long will I have to bid for a property?
  15. Will I know how many other people are interested in the same property?
  16. How do you decide who is offered a property?
  17. Can I still bid if I have been shortlisted?
  18. If I successfully bid for a rented property, can the landlord refuse to let it to me?
  19. If I am offered a property, will I be able to view it before making up my mind?
  20. What if I don't like the property when I have seen it?
  21. How will I know what has happened to the properties advertised?
  22. Direct Matching?
  23. Recent Lets
  24. Are carpets and appliances provided?
  25. What other options are there for housing?
  26. Who is eligible for Key Worker accommodation?
  27. What is the property reference number?
  28. The Money To Move Scheme
  29. What is non-family housing?
  30. Section 106 policy (what is this?)
  31. Vacancies in rural areas
  32. Supported Housing for people with Learning Disabilities
  33. Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs) : A tenant's guide
  34. Selective Lettings Policy    
  • 1. Who can apply for properties through Swindon Home Bid?
    You must have been accepted onto Swindon Borough Council's Register to be able to apply for either rented properties through Swindon Home Bid. Anyone aged 16 years or over may apply to join the Housing Register.
  • 2. How do I apply to join the Housing Register?
    You will need to complete an application form. To apply to join the housing register please complete a online application form, by clicking on online application form

  • 3. What other documents do I need to provide?
    Along with your application form you will need to provide the following: Proof of identity for all household members (e.g. passports, birth certificates)

    • Proof of current address (e.g. recent utility bill)
    • Evidence of your right to reside in the UK if you are not a British Citizen (e.g. passport & other relevant Home Office documentation

Before you are offered a property you will need to provide additional documents to support your application. We will tell you what documents to provide and when to provide them. All documents provided must be originals, up to date and valid. For a full list of acceptable documents contact the Housing Needs Advisors.

  • 4. How do I know if I have been accepted onto the Housing Register?
    You will receive a letter confirming that you have been accepted onto the Housing Register within 20 working days. This will tell you the band you have been placed in. The date your application has been registered from and or your accepted as homeless date plus the size of property you are eligible for. Please note due to high volume of forms, sometime you may wait longer for a response.
  • 5. Can you refuse to accept me onto the Housing Register?
    There are some people who are not eligible to be included on the Housing Register. These are:
    • Certain people who are subject to Immigration Control under the 1996 Asylum and Immigration Act.
    • Certain people from abroad who are not subject to immigration control but who are not habitually resident in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland.
    • People (including members of their household) who have been guilty of unacceptable behaviour that makes them unsuitable to be a tenant.

For more detailed information contact our Housing Needs Advisors.

  • 6. What are priority Bands?
    Your application will be assessed according to your level of housing need and placed in one of 4 bands, A, B, C or D. Within each band applications are placed in date order (Please see Allocations Policy for information).
  • 7. What do I do if I change my address?
    You must always ensure that we have your correct address at the time of any bid being made. If you should move then you will need to complete another housing register form. Successful bids placed will not be considered if you are not residing at the address / correspondence address we have on your file for you. To complete an online application form click here.
  • 8. What do I do if my circumstances change?
    It is very important that you tell us of any changes in your circumstances so that we can review your application. We will tell you if this results in your application moving to a different band. If you move up a band the date used will be the date you move into that band. If you move down a band the date used will be the date that applied when you were previously in that band or any earlier date when you were in a higher band. To download and complete the change in circumstances form click here.
  • 9. How often are properties advertised?
    Properties available for rent are advertised each week.  As soon as we are given formal notice that a property is due to become vacant we will advertise it. For more details click Step Two-Choosing, part of our step-by-step guide to using the service.
  • 10. Where are properties advertised?
    Properties are advertised in the following ways:
    • Via Property Search on this website.
    • On display boards in Swindon Libraries, Social Services, Citizen Advice Bureau in Town Centre, Sure Start Children's Centre, Penhill, North Swindon Family Centre Penhill, North Swindon Primary Care Trust at Orbital Park, Highworth Town Council Office, local hostels and other community facilities. 
  • 11. What information will the property adverts contain?
    The adverts will tell you the landlord, location, bedroom size, rent and other features of the property. Where available a photograph of the property or a similar house type will be provided and you will be able to access information about the local area and facilities. The advert will also tell you if there are any special requirements that the applicant must meet, such as age requirements, which bands may bid for the property and which will be given priority for the property. It also tells you the number of bedrooms that applicants applying for the property need to be entitled to. If your bedroom entitlement is different to this you will not be able to bid for that property. 

PLEASE NOTE: All properties advertised are un-furnished.

  • 12. How do I apply for a property?
    You can express your interest or bid, as it is also known, in the following ways:
    • Online through our website, www.swindonhomebid.org.uk
    • Through our 24hour automated telephone service on 0845 270 1179
    • Completing a bidding coupon, available from the One Stop Shop in Wat Tyler House, Beckhampton Street, Swindon or by clicking here ensuring the application number is included. This completed form should be returned to the Choice Based Lettings Team at the One Stop Shop in person or by posting the coupon in the post box in the reception area.
  • 13. How many properties can I express an interest in?
    You will be able to express an interest in only one property each week properties are advertised. However, you will only be able to express interest in a property that is suitable for your family. Kindly ensure you only bid for an area you wish to live in.
  • 14. How long will I have to bid for a property?
    Properties will be advertised from midnight on a Wednesday and you will be able to register your interest in properties up until midnight the following Tuesday.
  • 15. Will I know how many other people are interested in the same property?
    Yes, when you bid for a property you will be told where you are in the queue. This is likely to change frequently due to other people bidding for the same property. Using this information you may decide to withdraw your bid for one property and bid for a different property for which you are higher placed in the queue. You can do this at any time before the closing date. On very rare occasions a back office bid may have to be placed after the bidding cycle has closed. This therefore may affect your position in the queue for that property.
  • 16. How do you decide who is offered a property?
    Once the closing date for bids has passed a shortlist of interested applicants is drawn up. The shortlist is in order of eligibility according to the criteria stated in the advert details for that property. The applicant at the top of the list in that band will be contacted regarding the property within 5 working days. Click Step Three-Offer for more details.
  • 17. Can I still bid if I have been shortlisted?
    If you are shortlisted for a property you will not be allowed to bid for other properties until you have either accepted or refused the property that you have been shortlisted for.
  • 18. If I successfully bid for a rented property, can the landlord refuse to let it to me?
    You may not be invited to view the property for the following reasons:
    • You owe rent or have other housing related debts
    • You are a Council or Housing Association tenant and legal action has been taken against you because you have broken your tenancy conditions
    • You have not provided the required documentary evidence to support your application by the date given
    • Your circumstances have changed and this results in a change in your banding or application date. 
    • You have provided incorrect or misleading information, which has resulted in your application being awarded a higher priority than it deserves.
  • 19. If I am offered a property, will I be able to view it before making up my mind?
    Yes. You will be given an opportunity to view the property and decide whether you would like to accept it.
  • 20. What if I don't like the property when I have seen it?
    A refusal of a property could make you ineligible to bid again for a period of 6 months. The Lettings Manager or Senior Lettings Officer will make this decision based on information provided.  You would need to complete a refusal form which will be sent for you to note your exceptional reasons for the refusal.
  • 21. How will I know what has happened to the properties advertised?
    Information about homes that have been successfully let will be published. We tell you the number of applicants that expressed an interest, the band and the registration date of each applicant who were successful. To see the results of properties that have been let click Recent Lets.
  • 22. Direct Matching?
In some cases a property is not advertised as it has to be directly matched to an applicant.  These are often emergency cases or sometimes adapted properties.
  • It will give you a better idea of how popular a particular property or area is and how long you would normally have to wait. You can then decide whether to look for other types of property or areas where you may not have to wait as long.
  • 24. Are carpets and appliances provided?
    You will normally have to provide your own carpets and appliances. However these are sometimes supplied in the Sheltered Housing Schemes.
  • 25. What other options are there for housing?
    There is a severe shortage of homes in the Swindon Borough Council area. Most applicants on the Housing Register will have to wait a long time for re-housing and many of those in the lower bands will still have little chance of re-housing in the local area. Depending on your circumstances you may wish to consider other options such as renting in the private sector. We may be able to help you access the private rented sector . Interviews to discuss your housing options are available with Options Advisors in the One Stop Shop in Wat Tyler House, Beckhampton Street, Swindon.  You could also consider Low Cost Home Ownership schemes. To view the Low Cost Ownership pages click here.
  • 26. Who is eligible for Key Worker accommodation?
    To see the definition of a Key Worker please click on the link
  • 27. What is the property reference number?
    This is a unique number given to each advertised property, this is not the address or actual house number of the property.
  • 28. The Money To Move Scheme
    The Money to Move Scheme is for secure tenants of Swindon Borough Council only, who are registered for a transfer.

    The scheme offers a grant of £1000 to any secure tenant (one grant payment per household) who wishes to move out of one of the following property types, into 1-bedroom, non-family type housing:

    2, 3 or 4-bedroom house

    2-bedroom ground or first floor flat

    2-bedroom ground or first floor maisonette

    Please note that flats or maisonettes on the second floor or above (including multi-storey and tower-block types) and flats and maisonettes above shops or other retail units are not included in the Money To Move Scheme. 

You need to have a clear rent account and your property needs to be in good condition and inspected by a housing department surveyor.

The money will be paid directly into your bank account, after you have moved.

The resulting vacancies will be advertised on Swindon Home Bid, for families accepted as homeless by Swindon Borough Council only.

The scheme accepts a maximum of 30 applications in any one financial year and is on a "first come, first served" basis. Once the total has been reached for that year, no more applications can be made.  To download an information leaflet click here.            

If you are eligible, have been shortlisted for a property after a successful bid and wish to apply for a Money To Move Scheme grant, please contact your own Neighbourhood Housing Officer or the Housing Needs Team on 01793 463181.

  • 29. What is non-family housing?
    A sheltered scheme (group dwelling) for people aged 60 or over; applicants under 60 should have a sheltered need or be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance;

A 1-bedroom bungalow for people aged 60 or over; applicants under 60 should have a bungalow need or be in receipt of high-rate mobility Disability Living Allowance;

A 1-bedroom cottage or house attached to a sheltered scheme (group dwelling) or a warden service;

A studio-flat (i.e. a bedsit);

A 1-bedroom, general purpose flat;

A 1-bedroom flat with Homeline service (for those with a recognised medical or welfare need or those aged over 50).

  • 30. Section 106 policy (what is this?)
    A number of Housing Associations have properties in rural areas that have a section 106 local connection agreement attached to them. This means that these properties can only be allocated to persons with the strongest local connection with that area. Therefore, these properties will be advertised as such. Each Housing Association has its own criteria but generally you would need to either live or work in the village other cases considered could have adult children, siblings or parents residing there. The strongest connection would be shortlisted first.

The strongest connection would be shortlisted first regardless of their position on the list. Therefore, applicants may not be shortlisted who are top and skipped because they did not have the strongest local connection.

  • 31. Vacancies in rural areas
    The council have a number of properties in rural areas. These are:

    North area: Inglesham, Hannington, Castle Eaton, Blunsdon, Stanton Fitzwarren and South Marston.
    South area: Chiseldon, Wanborough, Liddington and Bishopstone.

    Whilst these do not have a section 106 agreement attached to them we do have a local connection policy. This is due to the few vacancies that occur in these areas and to allow applicants who already have a strong local connection there to be successful in remaining in this area.  Therefore, these properties are advertised as such. The criteria used for shortlising will be very similar to the one for the section 106 as noted above.

  • 32. Supported Housing for people with Learning Disabilities
    When properties are advertised through Swindon Home Bid, all bids placed are discussed at a meeting with representatives from the Council, Housing Association and the Learning Disability Team. Any person who bids will need to have had an up to date assessment completed regarding their housing need for this type of property. It will not always be the case that the first person at the top of the list will be shortlisted.

    Any new scheme of this type will also have 1/3rd mix of tenants, homeless applicants and all others on the housing register where possible with the first lets.

  • 33. Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs) : A tenant's guide
    This booklet gives advice to tenants on Energy Performance Certificates which will be required if renting a new home from 1 October 2008.

    Please click here to download a copy

  • 34. Selective Lettings Policy
    Some areas or properties will have a selective lettings policy.  Whilst the advert will not give full details of what this is, there will be enhanced checks and references required to ensure that any successful bidder is suitable for the property or area.  There may also be restrictions on who can apply to bid for them.

 

 

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