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

Our Legislative and Regulatory Responsibilities

Public Sector Equality Duty

We are not a public body but we are required to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty in the provision, allocation and management of social housing. We must give “due regard” or think about the need to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
Advance equality of opportunity
Foster good relations (tackling prejudice and promoting understanding).

Equality Act 2010

We must make sure that you and our employees are not discriminated against in relation to the ‘protected’ characteristics, which include sex, race, disability, age, religion and belief, sexual orientation, maternity and pregnancy, marriage and civil partnership and transgender status.

Regulatory Standards

We are also required to meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s “Transparency, Influence, and Accountability Standard”. This requires us to:

Treat all tenants with fairness and respect
Demonstrate that they understand the different needs of their tenants, including in relation to the protected characteristics and tenants with additional support needs.