Allocating council and housing association homes

Choice Based Lettings gives housing applicants real choice over where they eventually live.

Bedfordshire Homefinder

Bedfordshire Homefinder is the Choice Based Lettings scheme for council and Housing Association properties in Bedfordshire.

The Bedfordshire Homefinder service has been developed by Luton Borough Council in association with our partner landlords in Bedfordshire who are:

• Aragon Housing Association
• Bedford Borough Council
• bpha
• Central Bedfordshire Council

How we prioritise applications

The partner landlords developed a new Housing Allocations Policy and applicants for housing will have their applications prioritised in accordance with the terms of this Policy.

The full Housing Allocations Policy, and a summary, can be downloaded below.

Please note: the Bedfordshire Sub-regional Housing Allocations Policy places applicants with income or savings above specified levels in Band 4 (Low priority) – see section 11.5 of the Housing Allocations Policy.

Details of current Income and Savings/Capital thresholds can be downloaded below.

Advertising empty homes
 
All empty council, and most Housing Association, properties within the town will be advertised on the Bedfordshire Homefinder Choice Based Lettings site.

Properties will be advertised for six days every two weeks. Click here for a calendar of when properties will be available for bidding.

Applicants can view available properties in a number of ways:

• At Bedfordshire Homefinder 
• In council offices, where an advert sheet of available properties can be viewed
• When properties are available for bidding, a list of properties available to Luton Applicants can be download below. When they are not available a calendar will be visible.

Each partner landlord will make a proportion of its empty properties available to applicants throughout Bedfordshire.

Bidding for empty homes

In order to place bids for empty homes, applicants will need their User ID and PIN numbers that they were issued when their housing application was registered.

Applicants can bid on vacant properties that meet their needs through the Bedfordshire Homefinder website:

If you experience difficulties in placing bids, please contact our staff

Full details of how applicants can view and bid for vacant properties can be found in the Bedfordshire Homefinder User Guide available to download at the bottom of the page.

Who to contact:

If you have a query about Choice Based Lettings, please contact the Allocations Team on (01582) 546646 or email housing.allocations@luton.gov.uk

If you have a query about your application for housing please contact the Housing Needs Team on (01582) 510370 or email housingneeds@luton.gov.uk

Council or Housing Association tenants wishing to move should contact the Allocations Team on (01582) 546646 or email housing.allocations@luton.gov.uk