Housing Questions and Answers
How are homes advertised?
Every day we will advertise all the available empty properties on the Kent Homechoice website. The advert will tell you all about the property, for example how many bedrooms, what the rent is, who the landlord is and if any restrictions apply.
You can make bids in the following way:
Every bid you make is registered along with your details from the Housing Register. The information is used to create a shortlist of applications for the property in order of priority on the Housing Register.
What type of home can I bid for?
You can bid for any property you are interested in and meets your housing needs.
We will normally advertise property based on the following criteria:
- Property size - the advert includes how many bedrooms the property has and a minimum/maximum number of people in the household that can apply.
- Adapted properties may be reserved for people with a specific requirement or need.
- Ground floor accommodation may be offered only to those people who have an agreed need for such properties.
- Sheltered housing is only available for people who meet the age requirements.
What happens if I need help completing the application form, finding available properties or making a bid?
We will make appropriate modifications to enable all applicants to access the Housing Register without unlawful discrimination. You may nominate a friend, relative or advocacy worker from an appropriate agency to apply on your behalf. Please contact us to make the necessary arrangements or for a member of staff to act as an advocate.
How many bids can I make?
You are allowed unlimited bids. Each property advertised will be open for bidding for a minimum of five days. Each advert will show the ‘Bidding Closes’ date and you will have until the end of this date to bid for the home.
Once I’ve made a bid can I change my mind?
Yes - you can change or withdraw your bid if you want to and you can also choose to refuse any offer we may make. You are not penalised for this and can bid again as soon as you are ready.
How do I know if my bid is successful?
A Housing Officer will contact you to arrange for you to view the property as soon as possible. Once you have seen it, you must decide within 24 hours whether or not to take the property. We will not write to you if your bid is unsuccessful but you can check how many bids each property got and which band the successful bidder was in, on the website www.kenthomechoice.org.uk. This information will give you an indication of how long you might have to wait.
I am homeless - can I still choose a home through Kent Homechoice?
Yes, your application will be assessed according to your individual circumstances.
Can I still bid if I am in rent arrears?
You can bid for properties you are eligible for but we will not normally make an offer of accommodation to an applicant in rent arrears. If you want to move, it is important that you keep your rent payments up to date.
What happens if there are no bids for an available property?
The property may be re-advertised.
Can I apply for a property bigger than my needs?
No, we cannot offer properties that are bigger than an applicant’s needs.
Can I view a property before deciding whether to make a bid?
No. You will be able to view the property if a successful offer has been made.
What happens if I don’t make any bids?
It will be up to you to actively try and find a home you want. The Council will not approach you with an offer.
I have five children, can I apply for any three bedroomed properties?
There may be restrictions on the size of household that may apply for properties, such as a limit on the number of children that may occupy a particular property, but this will be clearly stated in the advert.
Contact Housing
Tel: 01304 872265