Bidding
How do I bid for properties?
Available homes can be seen each week on the internet at www.bexleyhomechoice.org.uk or in the Newsletter available in all libraries in the Borough and at the Civic Offices Contact Centre. Bids can be placed on available homes between midnight Wednesday evening/Thursday morning until 11:59 pm on a Monday each week. When you login to your account there is a menu at the top. Please click on 'Scheme guide’ then on ‘How to bid’.
What does my queue position mean when I place a bid?
Your queue position tells you where your bid has been placed in the queue and shows how many bids are ahead of yours. For example, if you are 25th in the bidding queue there are 24 applicants who also bid on the property whose application is in a higher band, or the same band but they have an earlier band date than yourself. Alternatively, they may have been given a preference for that type of property. Where a preference is given to a particular group of applicants this is stated in the marketing information on the property advert.
Why does my queue position keep changing?
Your queue position changes as other people place their bids. There is no advantage in bidding early in the bidding cycle as applicants have five days in which to place their bids. Bids are ordered automatically according to band and band date. You can see your final queue position on Tuesday morning each week. You will need to login to your account and click on ‘My Bids’, then click to ‘filter’ for historic bids. When the bidding cycle closes your bids move to historic bids.
Why am I so far down the queue?
If you do not come very high in the bidding queue for properties this is because there are a large number of households ahead of you whose application is either in a higher priority band, or who are in the same band but have an earlier band date than you.
When will I hear whether I’ve been successful in bidding?
Only the first 10 households in the bidding queue are shortlisted and the housing associations will contact people on the shortlist to arrange viewings, although they are unlikely to contact all ten. The length of time taken for the viewing and acceptance of properties will vary quite a bit so it could take a while for the final position to appear on Bexley HomeChoice.
My bid was in the top ten in the bidding queue. Will I be shortlisted for the property?
The housing associations contact applicants on the shortlist to arrange viewings. You need to be in the top ten of the bidding queue to reach a shortlist. The length of time before viewing of properties takes place will vary quite a lot so it could be very quick or could take several weeks, sometimes it can be a few months. Please wait to hear from the housing association and ensure your contact details are up-to-date on Bexley HomeChoice. Housing associations may ring, text, EMail or send a letter to you.
On the recent lets, why is there only 1 bid for some of the properties?
The council will make direct offers to certain applicants rather than advertising on Bexley HomeChoice and there is provision for this in the allocations policy. There has been an increase in the number of families that the council has a statutory duty to help, including homeless households, so there is great demand on the properties becoming available.
How many bids am I allowed a week?
You will be allowed 3 bids per week.
If you have a question that has not been covered in the above please email the Allocations Team: bas@bexley.gov.uk