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

Case Study

Our people case study - Alex Johnson

After achieving his GCSE's at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College, Alex went on to study A Levels at St John’s Catholic Academy, Bishop Auckland before achieving a BA (Hons) in History at the University of Kent.

Alex worked in the education and healthcare sectors before he applied to join us as a Policy and Strategy Analyst in October 2023. The role matched Alex's critical reasoning and passion for political affairs as well his desire to continue learning.

Funded by the apprenticeship programme Alex is currently studying part-time for a Master's Degree in Arts and Social Policy online with the University of Central Lancashire.

"I am extremely happy to be able to continue my studies in policy while applying my knowledge in practice within the housing sector. In just a short time I have been involved in a diverse workload including consumer regulation preparation, priority project management, policy and external relations. I'm looking forward to the months ahead as I grow my knowledge and experience in this exciting role".

MORE CASE STUDIES