Social Housing - how does bidding work?

elljay

I have recently joined the local housing list and have been looking  online at properties I am eligible to bid for.  However I don't really understand how it works.

How do you go about viewing?  I don't mean in the current situation but generally?  There's no point in bidding if you haven't viewed something as that could be wasting everyone's time but I can't seem to find anywhere that explains this.  Then do you put a holding deposit on or have 24 hours to think about it or anything?  And at what point do they check references/finances etc.  I don't want my current landlords to know I'm looking around as they've recently had a corona bereavement and don't want to give them any more stress than can be avoided.  I'll give long notice.  Sorry but I've only ever rented privately which is different.

And any other hints and tips re renting from a housing association would be really helpful.

Thanks

FtbDreaming

You view if you’re in the top bidders. You will be placed in order according to housing need and time on the waiting list. On our property pool you can see what number you are as you bid. You seem to be thinking you have a chance of getting a place and being picky. It’s usually quite difficult to get to the top never mind have lots of choice. Just bid on the ones that meet your needs if you get an offer then view it. If you accept the offer they may want a weeks rent in advance. They will also ask for references when they make an offer

LocoLoco

OP, you need to check the specifics with your local authority to be sure, but most will only let you view if you've got the top bid (ie, you've indicated your interest and you're top of the list for that property).  They usually also restrict the number of properties you can view and reject before you lose your place and go back down the queue.  They don't do checks until you've said you want it but they do expect you (usually) to be ready to take on the property fairly quickly.  You're quite likely to end up paying two lots of rent if you want to give your current landlord 'long notice'.  Most local authorities will take the view that, as social housing is in such short supply, it will only be given to people who really need/want it.
Generally speaking, you  have several days of a property being on the bidding list before you need to make your bid and it doesn't matter when you bid on it - you don't get in quicker if you bid on the first day, for example, because they check through everyone on the list to make sure they're still eligible, they can get hold of them and so on.  So you will usually have a few days to think about it and make some enquiries.  Most people are looking at places fairly near to their current address so you would usually have an idea of the area itself and whether it's the sort of place you want to live.  You can go over there and look around the outside obviously, but you won't have any right to view the property itself until invited to by the local authority, which is usually after the current tenant has moved out.
From your current situation it sounds as if there are probably a lot of people ahead of you in the queue.  On our system you can see where you are in the queue when you put your bid on but again, check with your local authority as yours may be different.

luvchocolate

I would also put your name down on housing associations lists. 
They do take of the council list too but have their own waiting list. 

Jack_bauer24

I doubt viewings can take place at the moment due to social distancing, unless I am mistaken? 

elljay

Gosh thank you for the replies - don't we get notifications these days? I'm very grateful for the explanations, I understand how it works now.  

The properties I've been interested in have been hard to let ones, mainly because of the local residency requirement.  The HA suggested one to me as it didn't let through the system and another has been re-advertised because they couldn't find anyone who fitted the strict rules.

I believe viewings can now take place or soon will be as long as social distancing etc etc is observed.

Thanks everyone for all the help, really clarified things.  EJ

strawb_shortcake

And just because you show as the top bidder doesn't mean you'll  be offered it, when we got ours we were 2nd or 3rd. I'd got quite annoyed at the number of drug dealing and taking going on at our last home and had made it known I wasn't happy! When the housing officer saw I'd bid he pulled us forward to be offered it first. 
We had however been on the list for some point then. 

HampshireH

luvchocolate said:

I would also put your name down on housing associations lists. 
They do take of the council list too but have their own waiting list. 

Some do. Many dont. Many have all allocations from the council and retain a small % (maybe 15-20%) rights to move people internally for emergency/management moves)

luvchocolate

Sorry I could only speak from my experience....offered a property from housing association after a 3 year wait. 
They offer 50% to council  
Either way its worth a shot