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Homeseeker Plus

Homeseeker Plus is a choice based letting scheme which allows anyone who qualifies for our housing register to apply for social rented and low cost private rented properties anywhere in the District and/or the other Districts under the scheme.

Applicants who qualify are then banded according to their individual needs, in line with the Homeseeker Plus Policy and can register an interest - known as ‘bidding’ - for the properties suited to their circumstances.

Registering for Homeseeker Plus

To register for the scheme you will need to complete an Application Form, please remember the following:

  • It takes about 30 minutes to register 
  • You will be asked to provided further information after you have submitted your application (to verify who you are, your circumstances and your needs)
  • Your registration form will be acknowledged within 10 working days
  • Registering for this scheme does not guarantee that you will be accepted onto Homeseeker Plus or that you will be offered a property
  • All social housing in Gloucestershire and West Oxfordshire is let through Homeseeker Plus.
Register for Homeseeker Plus

Bidding and selection criteria

There is no money involved in bidding. You are just expressing an interest in a property.

You can only bid for properties where you match what the advert asks for. For example, if a minimum age is given and you are below this age you will not be able to bid.

After bidding closes the shortlist will be reviewed and the property will be allocated to someone. This will be based on: their eligibility for the property, their banding, the date they were awarded that banding. Some properties may also consider Parish Local Connections however this will be stated in the advert if it applies.

If your bid is successful the housing association will contact you to discuss the property and complete an assessment. If they are satisfied you meet the criteria in their own policies they will arrange with you to view it. It will be your choice whether to accept a property however if you refuse 3 or more, your application could be suspended. There could be further restrictions if you have a Homelessness banding.

We will not contact you if your bid is unsuccessful.

About Homeseeker Plus

  • New adverts may be posted at any time from Mon-Fri and will normally remain there for 7 days. You should check each advert for the time remaining to bid.
  • You can have 3 live bids at any one time, you can view current or previous bids while logged into your account.
  • While you cannot place bids after 11.59pm (on the day the advert closes) the system may place any autobids after this time, these are applicants who are unable to use the system themselves. Some of these bids may appear above you.
  • The shortlists will be considered live until they have been allocated, so while no further bids can be placed after they close, your position may still change.
  • It makes no difference when you place your bid, the final shortlist considers your local connections, banding and priority date only.
  • Any offer may be subject to a satisfactory landlord reference and you will be required to pay rent in advance - please see the individual property advert for more details.
  • If an offer of accommodation is made and your application details are found to be incorrect, we will contact you and the offer may be withdrawn and your application removed.

Blenheim Estate Homes

Properties available through Blenheim Estate Homes are now advertised through HomeseekerPlus. If you are interested in applying for a Blenheim Estate Home, please register via HomeseekerPlus as detailed above.

Homeseeker Plus - Frequently asked questions

What is Homeseeker Plus?

The Homeseeker Plus Partnership is a group of councils and housing providers who work together to provide homes across the scheme.

If you are interested in accommodation, you need to register so we can check you are eligible for housing in the UK and that you qualify for accommodation in the Homeseeker Plus area.

Available homes to rent or buy are advertised on this website. You can see what properties are available and ‘bid’ to tell us which ones you like.

The housing provider then decides who to offer the property to, based upon the Homeseeker allocation policy. They will contact the successful applicant, check they still qualify, and discuss the offer of accommodation.

How do I register for Homeseeker Plus?

You will need to visit the Homeseeker Plus website and Register to fill in the online pre-assessment and housing application form. If you are eligible to apply, don't forget to send us any supporting information we ask for so that your application can be properly assessed.

Why do I have to register?

The houses advertised are mainly from councils and housing associations so, by law, we have to check that you are eligible to apply for housing. We also have to make sure we allocate tenancies fairly. By registering, we have the information we need to make sure that those who have the greatest need are given priority for housing.

When can I start bidding on properties?

You will be unable to start bidding on properties until your application has been assessed. When you receive the decision letter from us stating that your application has been made live, you will then be able to login to your application and start bidding for properties.

How long will it take for my application to be assessed?

Once you have submitted your application, it can take between 4 to 6 weeks for it to be assessed. You may be asked for supporting information before a decision can be made on your eligibility to the register. When a decision has been made, you will be sent an email or letter which will explain your banding, bedroom need and which Local Authorities you have a confirmed Local Connection to. Only contact us if you haven’t heard from us within 6 weeks.

How do I bid on a property?

You need to sign in first (if you are logging in for the first time you need to create a password and activate it from your email account). Once you have logged in, you should click 'View Homes' to see what properties you are eligible for. Click on the advert of any properties you want to bid on, check the details on the advert and make sure it's a property you're interested in, and click the 'Place Bid' button.

Which properties can I bid for?

The Homeseeker Plus policy sets out which properties you can bid for. This is normally determined by how many people are in your household, the age of any children and whether you need sheltered accommodation.

If you sign in, you will be able to see the properties you are eligible to bid for.

When will I find out if my bid has been successful?

Once the bidding closes, staff will start to process the shortlist. This can happen from a few days to a few weeks after the shortlist closing. If you click on My Bids, you can see the outcome of the bids you have placed and whether you were successful or not.

How do we decide who is in housing need?

Applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria contained in the Homeseeker Plus policy.

We have four priority bands:

  • Emergency Band
  • Gold Band
  • Silver Band
  • Bronze Band

Full details of the priority bands are set out in the Homeseeker Plus policy.

What to do if you are not happy with a decision

If you are not happy with a decision that we make, you can ask us to review the decision. Click here for more information about the review process.

Mutual Exchange/Swap

You can move home by swapping your home with that of another tenant in the Homeseeker Plus area or elsewhere in the country. Due to the demand for social housing, existing tenants often find this is the easiest way to move. Find out more about exchanging.

How do I let you know if my circumstances have changed?

If you login to your account, you'll see a 'Have your circumstances changed?' button. If you click that, you can complete a new application form, updating any information which may have changed and submitting it at the end. After submitting this to us you will be unable to bid until your application has been re-assessed, since your changes may make a difference to your banding or bedroom need.

Can I upload documents?

It is now possible for applicants who already have an account to log into their account and upload more documents if required by the council. Sign in and navigate to the “Your Account” page and click ‘Add supporting documents to my application’. You'll be given a drop down list of document types to upload for various household members. For example, passport, child benefit award letter, doctors letters or an OT letter for a medical issue. Applicant’s will receive the email receipt either when they have clicked that have added all the documents and / or when they click a button that says ‘Email me a receipt of documents uploaded in this session’. Your document is then sent to the council and added automatically to your application, there is no need to contact the council unless advised to do so.

What do I do if I do not agree with my banding?

Register first and see what we take into account when we assess your banding. If you still think your band is incorrect, then contact your local Homeseeker Plus team to discuss your application further.

How long will I have to wait before I’m re-housed?

That depends upon the type of property you need and where you would like to live. See the feedback section for more information. Two bedroom bungalows, four bedroom houses and properties that are adapted for people with a disability, tend to be in short supply.

Am I eligible to apply if I am currently a Homeowner?

Normally you would not be eligible however there may be circumstances where this can be reconsidered (such as if an applicant is in severe negative equity or have a medical need which cannot be met in their current home) and so it will be best to discuss this further with your Local Authority.

Is there a limit on the amount of savings I can have and still be eligible?

While there is not a set limit to the amount you have in savings, if when your application is assessed it is decided you have enough in savings to meet your needs on the open market, you may be deemed ineligible for entry onto the Housing Register.

My household income is over £60,000 per year, am I still eligible to apply?

While there is not a set limit to the amount you can earn as a household in a year, just as with savings, if when your application is assessed it is decided you earn enough to meet your needs on the open market, you may be deemed ineligible for entry onto the Housing Register.

Will my bedroom size be increased when I become pregnant?

While we can appreciate the need for additional room while pregnant, as per the Homeseeker Plus Policy, your bedroom size will remain the same until you have had your child. In order for us to award you the additional bedroom need, you will need to provide us with their Birth Certificate.

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