South Derbyshire District Council - Applying for housing

We allocate all of our properties through a new scheme called 'choice-based lettings'. This is a new way of finding a home to rent that allows you to apply for a home of your choice.

Properties will be advertised weekly. If you see a property advertised that you are interested in, you can 'bid' for the property. The bidder with the highest housing need will be allocated the property.

We allocate all of our properties through a new scheme called 'choice-based lettings'. The Government has a target that all social rented housing be allocated through choice-based letting schemes by 2010. This is a new way of finding a home to rent that allows you to apply for a home of your choice rather than having to wait for an offer of a property that we think is suitable for you.

Everyone applying for our waiting list will be placed into a priority band depending on their housing need. Available properties will be advertised weekly with details of the property and local amenities. If you see a property advertised that you are interested in, you can 'bid' for the property. A 'bid' is your way of telling us that you would like to live in a particular property. At the end of the advertising time, the bidder with the highest housing need will be allocated the property.

Who can join the South Derbyshire Homefinder Register?

You can apply to go on the South Derbyshire Homefinder Register once you are 16. However, if you are under 18, we will expect you to attend an independent living interview after you register and before we offer you a home. There will be some rules around people from outside of the United Kingdom or people who behave in an unacceptable way. If you need more information please contact the Housing Register team on 01283 595778. If you only want to advertise your property for mutual exchange please go to our website www.homeswapper.co.uk, contact your landlord or call South Derbyshire Homefinder on 01283 595953.

I am an owner-occupier - can I apply?

If you are an owner-occupier and you wish to put their name on the housing register, you can do so but are advised to state very clearly why you feel they need council housing. If you own your home you are only likely to be offered housing if you are faced with severe financial or medical difficulties, and cannot resolve your housing problem in any other way.

How do I apply to join the South Derbyshire Homefinder Register?

You will need to complete a South Derbyshire Homefinder application form. The quickest way to do this will be to complete the form online at www.southderbyshirehomefinder.org.uk You will also be able to get a form from:

South Derbyshire District Council, Civic Offices, Civic Way, Swadlincote
it is also available for download below

Housing Application Form

Summary: Council housing register application form. Print, complete and return to us. Please complete the form as fully as possible so that we can consider all of your housing needs. If you do not provide all the information we ask for your form, we will have return the form to you. If you need help you can contact the Housing Register team on 01283 595778.
File Format: Adobe PDF (help and accessibility)
File Size: 1 Mb
Estimated Download Time: 25 seconds (56k dialup) / 2 seconds (broadband)
Page Count: 26
Document will open in a new window

How do you assess my South Derbyshire Homefinder application?

We will assess your application form based on the answers you give to us and any other information we ask of you or get from the South Derbyshire Homefinder Landlords or other agencies. When we have finished assessing your South Derbyshire Homefinder application we will write to tell you that your application is 'active'. We will also tell you which 'band' of housing need you have been awarded. We have four bands to help categorise a variety of housing needs.

The bands are called:

Emergency Band
Band A
Band B
Band C

»More about our Homefinder Bands

How do I look for available properties?

South Derbyshire Homefinder looks to advertise available properties for at least one week. This is called an 'advertising cycle'. The advertising cycle starts at midnight on a Tuesday and ends at midnight on the following Tuesday. You can see the latest properties:

On our website:www.southderbyshirehomefinder.org.uk - you can get free access to our website at any South Derbyshire library and at our kiosk information points around the district.

Newspaper: the free Burton and South Derbyshire Advertiser.

On our property newsletters: as well as being in the South Derbyshire District Council offices, they will also be available at many community locations around the district. A summary of the locations is available on request.

How do I 'bid' for a property?

A 'bid' is your way of telling us that you would like to live in a property. You can 'bid' for between one and six properties on each advertising cycle by:

Website: www.southderbyshirehomefinder.org.uk - you can get free access to our website at any South Derbyshire library and at our kiosk information points around the district
Telephone: 0845 2701209
Text: 07781 482 350
In person: At the South Derbyshire District Council Offices
Post: South Derbyshire District Council Civic Offices Civic Way Swadlincote DE11 0AH

You will have to quote your application number and date of birth of the main applicant when you bid for a property.

We propose not to accept a bid for a property for which you are not eligible. For example, if you are a couple with one child bidding for a three bed Council or housing association property you will not be eligible because you do not need all of the bedrooms. If you bid on our website or use our automated bid hotline you will be told why you are not eligible to bid for the property.

A leaflet which explains the steps on the different ways to bid is attached below related documents

What happens when the advertising cycle closes?

Every South Derbyshire Homefinder applicant who has 'bid' for a property is placed on a list. This is called a shortlist. A shortlist is sorted by:

Band advertised to
Number of verified housing needs
Homelessness acceptance date (if it is a property advertised to
the Emergency band)
Band Award date

Remember
You should never assume that you will be offered a property so always look on the next advertising cycle for properties that interest you. The South Derbyshire Homefinder Landlords will have the right to 'skip' you if they do not feel you are suitable. Their decision to 'skip' you may be because of their own policies and procedures.

What happens if I am offered a property?

The South Derbyshire Homefinder Landlord will contact you directly. At all times, the South Derbyshire Homefinder Landlord is responsible for offering and allocating properties. Do not assume you will be offered a property so look in the new property newsletter and bid for any suitable properties. You will not be offered a property if you have 'bid' for a property you are not eligible for. In this instance you will be 'skipped'.

Where are the Council's houses?

Total number of houses in each area
Area	Number of houses
Aston on Trent	13
Barrow on Trent	2
Bretby	1
Castle Gresley	79
Church Broughton	2
Church Gresley	200
Coton in the elms	27
Eggington	4
Elvaston	1
Thulston	3
Etwall	108
Findern	50
Scropton	2
Hartshorne	220
Hatton	113
Hilton	72
Kings Newton	2
Linton	114
Lullington	4
Melbourne	192
Midway	400
Netherseal	60
Newhall	580
Thurvaston	2
Overseal	70
Repton	62
Rosliston	10
Shardlow	54
Smisby	4
Swadlincote	395
Ticknall	10
Walton on Trent	53
Weston on Trent	24
Willington	40
Woodville	132

Contact details

Housing Services
South Derbyshire District Council
Housing Section
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH

Telephone: 01283 595953
Fax: 01283 595852
Online: contact form
E-mail: housing@south-derbys.gov.uk

Page ref: SDDC 329 / LGSL 84

Applying for housing