Housing Association Bidding - Questions // Advice

[TrixMix]

Hello everyone :)

Hope you’ve all had a good week, I’m wondering if anyone would be so kind to offer some insight or advice on how Housing Association Bidding and awarding of properties works?

I’ve recently submitted my expression of interest (Bids) on multiple properties that are part of a new development. There were 9 properties available in total, of which I was eligible to bid on all of them (so I did). The bidding closed on Tuesday and I’m currently sitting in position 11-13 across the different properties, my questions are:-

A:- Assuming that most applicants have done the same as me and place a bid on multiple properties in the same development, how do the housing association process this, would the person who is in position one (presumably across multiple properties) be offered choice of all of them or would they just be offered the first property they bid on and then removed from the list for the others?

B:- In a development where “additional requirement criteria” are listed, how is this factored against the applicants? On the housing association website I can see (and bid) on properties where I wouldn’t meet the additional criteria, would this just mean that my bid will be void/removed when the bidding concludes and the final list is compiled or would I still be considered?

C:- More of a general sweeping question, but has anyone who has participated in the housing association bidding process had success as a lower tier band applicant (I’m tier 3 out of 4)?

D:- What other factors do the housing association take into consideration when awarding property (affordability, employment situation etc) or is it as simple as band tier and time registered for a property?

E:- The properties although advertised don’t appear to be anywhere near completion, the first phase of the development still looks several weeks/months way off, definitely not going to have anyone move in a couple of weeks after bidding closes; there are no paths, no steps up-to front doors, no soil or turf laid, none of the property boundary fences are up, the fixings for the facilities are just open and capped, there’s no main road into it (so no waste collection), no parking bays, bin storage, no street lights, no telephone cables (although these could be underground) the interiors only looked part finished with no floors in, no tiles on, no toilets or bathrooms, the kitchens are empty rooms and the whole place is still very much a building site with construction materials and equipment everywhere. I imagine for social housing it would most likely be classed as “unsafe” you couldn’t move someone in that needed wheelchair or supported access, and it wouldn’t be accessible for a pushchair or particularly safe for anyone with small children (the next phase only have foundations in and we are still a year away from the predicted completion date for the whole development).

F:- Finally, do housing association properties tend to include basic appliances when completed (I’ve had a google about this and opinion seems divided).

I think that covers everything but if I think of anymore I’ll look to post them, Looking forward to your replies :)

It's difficult to say as different HA's have different criteria. For example, in my area, you have to bid on the general Council housing list for HA properties. So there might be 10 properties available and only two of them will be HA the others will be managed by the Council.

You can bid for anything but higher bands get priority naturally. They usually allocate in date order depending on how long you've been on the list. I don't know whereabouts in the country you are but on a lower band here you might wait ten years for a house.

Position 11-13 is good.

It’s worth applying for places you may not have a hope for if lower down the list. If you have to use up bids.

People lower down do get places but this takes longer. Years ago when I last did it 70% would go to those in top 2 bands. But there were some in each other level 3.4.5 who would get something. This meant you were on the list for much longer and not a high priority but not to give up completely.

The only appliances I got was a build on job and oven as part of the kitchen built. I was expected to have fridge washing machine etc

I don’t think they can take jobs and think into account as that would be unfair to those who are homeless and will still be getting their rent paid. It use to be strictly on what band you were and then what date you joined the list. It was then offered in turn until someone accepted. Good luck

So the bidding is done via the council letting portal, the houses (all 9) are owned by a local HA who let exclusively through the council portal.

I’m based in the North East, we seem to have a good amount of availability in the area and a lot of the recent let’s appear to have gone to people with 0-12 months on the waiting list.

I don’t believe we have to use up bids, from what I can tell we are able to bid on as many or little as we would like (there’s no 3-bid limit like a lot of areas).

The HA website states in additional criteria for these properties that:- “ The applicant(s) must be in continuous full-time or part-time employment or formal employment training within the Local Area for at least 6 months prior to their housing application date (or date of offer of accommodation).” So now I’m a little unsure

Knew I had seen it somewhere:- www.livin.co.uk/media/4655/local-lettings-policy.pdf