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

Jubilee Fields Estate, Shildon

We have been working together with the community to improve the quality of life on the estate. We are committed to this long-term and will listen to and act with those residents who wish to get involved.

The Courts, Shildon

Working with the tenants and residents, along with our contract partners Mears we are transforming the overall appearance of the Courts on the Jubilee Fields Estate in Shildon.

The Courts, Shildon The Courts, Shildon

Maple Avenue and Firtree

Our partner contractor, Oaktree Living, delivered a regeneration programme that is now complete. The programme has seen several flats demolished and 15 new two-bedroom accessible, energy-efficient, and affordable bungalows built.

Watch development timelapse Watch development timelapse

What are we doing to help sustain and develop the estate?

We have:

Started on site to regenerate homes in the Courts and retrofit with energy efficient measures.
Started to replace several flats at Maple and Firtree with accessible, energy efficient bungalows.
Improved open space and biodiversity in partnership with the Friends of Jubilee Fields, Durham Wildlife Trust and the Brightwater partnership which includes Groundwork and Durham County Council.
Supported the community centre to be more sustainable - LED lighting funded through Mears, redecoration through PPG Industries and secured funding from the Northern Powergrid to add solar panels and batteries to help reduce energy bills.
Worked with our community partners to deliver activities in our communal lounges.
Delivered employment, training and financial inclusion support.
Enabled the delivery of school holiday programmes including family events and trips.

Our local offers

We listened, we acted

We worked with you to help us shape four pledges that we will deliver upon between 2021 and 2024. These pledges are known as local offers and we have been working collaboratively with you and our partners towards achieving these.

Jubilee Fields - local offers Jubilee Fields - local offers

Community engagement

We can only make plans for further improvements with your help.

We are working to develop new ways of doing this. If you would like to speak to us and you haven't been able to, let us know and together we find the best way to do this.

Get involved Get involved