Sometimes customers place bids on properties they later decide they don’t want to live in.
A customer might be successful on a property they have bid on and then when they are offered the property, they decide to refuse it based on the location.
When this happens, it takes our staff time to process this which causes delays to us helping someone else.
It is important that we ask all our customers to please check the area of a property first, to make sure this is somewhere you are interested in living before you place a bid. This will avoid delays to us letting our empty properties.
Please remember, you do not have to bid every week if there isn’t a property suitable for you.
However, if you bid and refuse three offers that are considered suitable for your housing need then you will be moved to Band D for a six-month period. After six months, your application will be reassessed based on your current housing circumstances.
Furthermore, if you do not bid for suitable housing to meet your assessed housing need either within your time restricted banding or during the last 12 months, we will look to see if there were properties advertised that would have been suitable to meet your housing needs. If this is the case, you will be placed in Band D for a 12-month period.
The exception to this is where you have been accepted as homeless. If you refuse one offer of accommodation and you are a main duty or homeless relief applicant, you will be placed in Band D for six months. After six months, your application will be reassessed based on your current housing circumstances.
Don’t forget, our bidding cycles run for seven days per week, so you have enough time to consider:
- Where is the property located?
- Is the location right for me?
- Do I want to live here, and will I be happy?
- What is the area and local facilities like?
So, before you place a bid on a property each week, please stop and think about the above points first and make sure it is the right move for you.