The lettings scheme
4.1 Advertising properties on the lettings scheme
Once an applicant has a verified application, they can bid for available homes.
Adverts will be clearly labelled to show the property features, local neighbourhood information and the types of household that can bid for it. A photograph will usually be included with the advert.
Properties are sometimes advertised during a tenant’s 4 week notice of termination period, and could be withdrawn from the scheme if the tenant changes their mind about moving.
There will sometimes be other restrictions in the advert e.g. age restrictions or adapted properties. Applications from applicants will only be considered if they can match the requirements in the advert.
Properties can be added to the site on any day of the week and will advertise for a minimum of 7 days (5 working days plus a weekend).
Properties that are re-advertised following an unsuccessful bidding cycle can be for a shorter period to prevent landlords from incurring additional loss of time to reallocate their property.
Where there is more than one property of the same description in the same location, only one advert will be displayed. The property advert will show that there are ‘X’ properties of the same type available at the same time. For example, if there are 2 or more flats available in a block or where there are a number of new build properties.
4.2 Adapted properties for people with disabilities
Adapted properties are homes which have been designed or adapted to meet the needs of people with physical or sensory disabilities.
Applicants who have an assessed need for adapted properties will be given priority over others without that need and the property advert will make this clear. The advert will also describe the adaptations to help people choose whether to bid for that property or not.
People who require adapted accommodation may be prioritised over those without a need for that accommodation even if they are in a higher band.
4.3 Bidding
Available properties will be advertised daily on the lettings platform.
Applicants (or their advocates) wanting to bid for a property can speak directly to a member of staff or use the website. There will also be an option to ‘auto-bid’ for the system to place bids on properties that people are eligible for in the areas that they select as where they want to live.
Applicants can bid for an unlimited amount of available properties, but will only be contacted if they are successful.
4.4 Short-listing and selection
At the end of the advertising period, a list of applicants will be produced.
Applications will usually be placed in band order (ranked Band 1 - 4). If there are two or more applicants in the same band, the date they entered the band (their effective date) will be used as a tie-breaker. In the case of decants, the applicant’s occupancy date for their current property will be used as their effective date. If the effective date is the same for two or more applicants, the registration date will be used.
Local Lettings Policies may also affect the order of the shortlist.
4.5 Local Lettings Policies
In some cases, a home may be advertised with a Local Lettings Policy (LLP). This means that there may be certain qualities or characteristics that the landlord will be looking for when allocating the property.
An LLP is usually developed between the landlord, Hartlepool Borough Council and other agencies in order to achieve a specific aim for an area/estate or new build development.
For example:
- where there is an issue with anti-social behaviour on an estate, an LLP can be used to make sure that no more households with a history of anti-social behaviour are housed there until the area stabilises, or;
- for new build developments, an LLP can help us get the right mix of families on an estate.
Where a property has an LLP attached to it, we will state this on the advert and make this available for the applicant to read.
4.6 Local connection
Applicants will be counted as having a local connection to Hartlepool if they fit one or more of the following categories:
- They have lived in Hartlepool for at least 2 years immediately prior to their housing application;
- They have previously lived in Hartlepool for 3 consecutive years out of the past 5 years;
- They have close family connections with someone living in Hartlepool for at least 5 years immediately prior to their housing application. A close family connection is defined as a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, legal guardian; or
- Their permanent place of work (16 hours or more) for at least 12 months immediately prior to their application is located within Hartlepool.
Applicants in temporary accommodation (e.g. probation hostels) will not usually have a local connection to that area unless they meet one of the criteria listed above or there are special circumstances, e.g. they have been placed into that accommodation by the Local Authority (Hartlepool) due to homelessness.
An applicant who is homeless, and Hartlepool Borough Council has accepted the main section 192(2) housing duty under the Housing Act 1996, and is not intending to refer the applicant to another Council, will be exempted from local connection requirements.
Applicants leaving the armed forces, care leavers and survivors / victims of domestic abuse will not need to have a local connection.
To clarify, applicants who are domestic abuse survivors / victims who are:
- Living in refuges
- Placed in temporary accommodation
- Staying with friends or family.
Divorced or separated spouses or civil partners of Service personnel who need to move out of accommodation provided by the Ministry of Defence will also be exempted from local connection requirements. A local connection will be applied for these applicants.
Asylum seekers who have been dispersed to Hartlepool by the National Asylum Support service (NASS) and whose status changes to that of refugee, or asylum seekers who have been awarded exceptional or indefinite leave to remain whilst living in Hartlepool will be exempted from local connection requirements.
Where an applicant has left or will shortly leave an institution such as a prison, a secure unit or hospital, a rehabilitation centre or refuge, that is not in Hartlepool and the applicant was normally resident in Hartlepool for at least 2 years immediately prior to being accommodated in that institution will be exempted from local connection requirements.
A young person will have a local connection to Hartlepool if the Council has an ongoing duty to them as a care leaver, having been looked after by Hartlepool Children’s Services under section 29 of the Children Act 1989.
A care leaver aged under 21 who has been placed in Hartlepool by another local authority for at least 2 continuous years, including some time before they turned 16, will have local connection to Hartlepool.
Since July 2025, a care leaver who wishes to remain in the area where they have been looked after or where they have no tangible connection to any location do not have to meet the local connection rule.
4.7 Offers
If an applicant has been given priority for housing in Band 1 and Band 2 they will be given one reasonable offer of accommodation. If the applicant refuses an offer that meets their housing need and this refusal is considered to be unreasonable, they may have their priority removed and be placed in Band 4. Applicants who have had priority removed can ask for a review of this decision.
4.8 Monitoring and review
This Policy will be regularly reviewed and revised in the light of any relevant legislative changes or regulations issued by the Secretary of State and changes to the Codes of Guidance.
4.9 Contact details
For any queries in relation to this policy please contact the team on:
Telephone: 01429 806834