Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a Livin home or bungalow?

We advertise all of our available homes on our Find A Home page, simply visit this page for more information.

Before you can place a bid on one of our homes, you must first have an active account with the relevant Choice Based Lettings Scheme. Almost all our homes are located in County Durham and therefore are allocated through the Durham Key Options scheme. Durham Key Options (DKO) is a partnership between Durham County Council and landlords across County Durham.

We have a small number of homes which are located outside Durham, these are all advertised through Tees Valley HomeFinder, Hartlepool HomeSearch and Darlington HomeSearch; They are similar to Durham Key Options but we do not process applications registered for these schemes. If you wish to register an application for homes advertised in this area, please apply directly.

Once your application is approved, you will then be able to bid on homes that meet your needs. You can access the application form directly by visiting the relevant Choice Based Lettings system.

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

We aim to start processing your application within 10 working days. If we require any further information after this point, we will contact you to ask for this. Once we have received all the required information we will notify you of our decision within 20 days, and if accepted we will activate your account. You can also check your application status online by logging into the DKO portal.

How can I get involved with Livin and help to shape services?

To find out more about the different ways you can get involved, please visit our getting involved section.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Buy?

Tenants who have been with Livin since before the transfer from Sedgefield Council in 2009 may have the “Preserved Right to Buy” their property. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Buy website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Acquire?

If you have been a tenant for 3 or more years you may have the right to buy your property under the Right to Acquire scheme. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Acquire website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.

More FAQ's

Find A Home

All our homes in County Durham to rent are allocated through Durham Key Options (DKO). If you live outside of County Durham you must register with the correct choice-based lettings scheme before you can bid on our homes. The application process is managed through the relevant lettings system where you can speak directly to us about your housing need. Once you have successfully bid for a home, your housing advisor will be in touch and you will be asked to sign your tenancy agreement digitally.

Appeals

If you feel your housing application has been wrongly assessed or feel you have been unfairly treated in the letting process, you have the right to appeal. You must do this within 28 days of our decision. You can get in touch with our Housing Support team who can help you complete a DKO Appeals form or the appeals form for your choice based lettings scheme.

Find out more about how to apply for a home

Read the full Affordable Home Ownership policy, Tenancy policy, Lettings policy and Development policy or our summarised versions below.

Affordable Home Ownership Policy Affordable Home Ownership Policy Tenancy Policy Tenancy Policy Lettings Policy Lettings Policy Development Policy Development Policy

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