Bidding and Offers
How to bid
From the 15th of November 2023 properties can be added to the Leeds Homes website any working day, between Monday and Friday. Each new property added will be available to bid on for 7 days. For example, if a new property is added on a Monday, it will be available to bid on until the Sunday of the same week.
Questions and Answers
1. How will customers know when to bid?
Customers should log in regularly, at a minimum once a week. If they chose to do this weekly it is recommended to stick to the same day each week, or twice a week to ensure they do not miss any advertised properties.
2. How will customers know when a new property has been added to the website.
Customers should log in to their Leeds Homes account and check if their ‘eligible list’ has been updated. Customers can also search for properties based on when they were added on the Leeds Homes website by using the filters on the property search page. In addition, all adverts have a start and end date displayed.
3. How many bids can customers make in a week?
Customers have 6 bids: 3 Leeds City Council & 3 partner Housing Association properties between Monday – Sunday each week.
4. What action should a customer take if they have used all their bids and are interested in another property?
Customers have between Monday – Sunday to utilise their 6 bids, including withdrawing and re-bidding on properties. Customers bidding allowance will replenish at the beginning of each week (on a Monday).
This means if a customer has used all 6 bids within a week, but they are interested in another property added to the website, instead of choosing between the two, they need to check the cycle end date on the advert which may end the following week after their bids have been renewed.
5. Will this affect me if I have auto bidding set up?
The system has been changed to reflect customers who utilise the auto bidding system which will now add auto bids on a Saturday each week, so no action is needed.
6. Will ‘Fast Track’ properties still be available to bid on.
Yes, this will remain unchanged in that some properties that have already been advertised in a 7-day cycle without success may be advertised as a Fast Track advert: where it will be re-advertised on the website for a minimum of one full working day.
Log in to your account to view suitable properties and place bids on them.
For further assistance on placing bids with Leeds Homes click the link below to view a help and guidance video.
Alternatively you can place bids by SMS text message to 07786 201241 or use our automated IVR service on (0118) 3151262.
Tip: Save these numbers to your phone book so you can quickly place bids.
If you are unable to place bids using the website, or by IVR or SMS text message, you can place bids over the phone by calling (0113) 222 4413.
For SMS text bidding you will need your login (bidding) number, memorable date (if you have not provided us with your email address, this will be your date of birth), and the reference numbers for the properties you want to bid on.
You will be required to enter information in the following order; login reference, date of birth followed by CBL numbers, there should be a space between each piece of information provided, for example, your message should look like this:
123456 01/01/2000 15 22 45
(CBL No - DOB - Property Numbers)
You will receive a text message back confirming your bid has been recorded and your latest position on the shortlist. If your bid(s) cannot be recorded, for whatever reason, we will automatically reply by text and explain what you should do next.
If you send the wrong details you will receive a text message telling you your bid hasn't been processed, and your details will need to be sent again. If you send the details in the wrong format you will be informed about this by text message. You will also be advised if you send a text after the deadline has expired
When are new properties added to Leeds Homes?
New properties can be added any day between Monday and Friday. The property will be available to bid on for 7 days.
We also advertise ‘Fast Track’ properties, which are properties that have been advertised previously but not been allocated. These may be added to the website on any day during the bidding cycle, and will be advertised for at least a day. You will need to log in daily to see any new Fast Track property adverts.
What size and type of property can I bid for?
Your bedroom entitlement is based on the number of people in the household and the age and gender of any children. Couples and single people aged 16 and over are entitled to their own bedroom. Children of the same gender are expected to share a bedroom if they are both under 16 years old. Children of different genders are expected to share up to the age of 10 years.
Sometimes a household may be assessed as needing an extra bedroom due to medical needs or for a carer. People with part time access to children at least 2 nights a week are able to bid for 2 bed flats. We will also let 2 bed flats to 2 adults on the same application not living together as partners.
We won’t normally offer a home that will result in overcrowding or under occupation. You will not be able to place a bid on a property that is too large or small for your assessed needs.
Properties will only be let if the property is suitable for a household’s needs as shown below. This is a general guide, please check the property advert for more details about the lettings criteria, including local lettings policies.
|
Property type |
Customers who will be given preference for these properties |
|
1 bedroom flats and houses |
Single people / couples |
|
2 bedroom flats |
Single people / couples with part time access to children (children must stay overnight for at least 2 nights each week) |
|
Adapted properties |
Disabled customers with a medical housing recommendation for the adaptations, for example, a through floor lift, stair lift etc. |
|
Houses (with 2 or more bedrooms) |
Households with the primary care of dependent children (this usually means children aged up to 18 years old in full time education) or a household with a medical recommendation for a house |
|
Bungalows |
People age 60 years old, or younger customers with an appropriate medical housing recommendation (e.g. for level access / ground floor accommodation) |
|
Retirement Life |
People age 60 years old and over who require the alarm call system and warden service, or younger customers with a medical housing recommendation for sheltered accommodation. If you are under 60 you will not be able to bid on Retirement Life properties unless you have been assessed as requiring this type of property. |
Bidding positions and offers
From Wednesday 27 April 2022 all Leeds City Council homes will be advertised through the Housing Need quota, which is where the property is let to the person in the highest priority band. If there is more than one person in the same band then the person who has been waiting the longest in that band will normally be offered the property.
At the end of the bidding cycle we draw up a shortlist of all matching bidders. You will see your position in the shortlist when you place a bid online, but this will change as more people place bids on the property. You can log back in to see your current position at any time. If you want to remove your bid before the close of bidding, you can and make an alternative bid.
Even after shortlisting, sometimes the person at the top of the shortlist is not offered the property. If this happens to you, you will be able to view a brief explanation for this on your account.
If you’re successfully shortlisted for a home, you will be contacted as soon as possible to view the home, but this could be several weeks after the close of bidding. Unsuccessful bidders will not be contacted. You will be able to see when a property has been let by logging into your account and checking your previous bids.
We advertise most of our available homes, however we sometimes make a direct offer of a home without advertising it, known as a ‘direct let'. More information about who is eligible for a direct let can be found in our lettings policy. We publish feedback about homes we have let as direct lets on this website.
Council New build homes are allocated under our new build lettings policy, details of which will be included in the advert for the property. Some properties have a local lettings policy, details of which are included in the advert and will be considered as part of the shortlisting process.
If your circumstances change or you would like your priority banding assessed log in to your account and update your housing application with any changes that have occurred.
Local Connection
Leeds City Council’s definition of local connection is:
Residence: currently live in or have lived in the specified area for: 3 out of the last 5 years, or 6 months out of the last 12 months.
Employment: employed within the area/ward or have confirmed employment within the specified area.
Family: parents, brothers, sisters or children who have lived in the specified area for 12 months or longer.
Any other special reason: if you feel there is an exceptional reason why you have a connection to the specified area we will take this into consideration on a case by case basis.
Fast Track properties
The homes we offer through our Fast Track scheme are properties which have usually been advertised through the bidding system, but received no eligible bids. Where this happens, we may make them available on a fast track basis. Fast Tracks will be advertised for a minimum of 1 full working day and can be added any day between Monday to Friday, and will remain on the website until there are enough suitable bidders.
The properties are located throughout the City and can be either Council or Housing Associations properties. Once there are enough suitable bidders, the shortlisting process will begin and an offer will be made based on the highest ranked and eligible customer. If the top ranked customer refuses the property, it will be offered to the next on the list and so on, until the property is let.
In cases when there are no bidders for properties we may also change the eligibility criteria. For example, households that would only normally qualify for two bedroom properties may be allowed to bid for some three bedroom maisonettes. The advert will clearly state where this is the case.
However, if you are of working age claiming housing benefit and you bid for a property that is larger than you would normally qualify for, you may not be entitled to receive the full housing benefit. In these cases we may carry out a financial assessment with you.
Key to symbols
Property adverts on this website have a brief explanation of symbols used. Most are self-explanatory but for more detailed information on some types please click here
Accepting or refusing an offer of a home
If you’re successfully shortlisted for a home, you will be contacted to arrange a viewing. Please note this may be up to six weeks after the close of bidding because some of our properties are advertised during the outgoing tenant’s notice period. You will then be able to accept or refuse the home.
If you are in Band A or Band B, and you refuse a reasonable offer of a home, your application may be moved to Band C or Band D. If we have a legal duty to re-house you (because you are statutory homeless) and you refuse the reasonable offer of a home, we may no longer have a legal duty to re-house you.
If you are in Band C or Band D and you refuse a reasonable offer, your date of registration may be changed to the date of refusal.
Please only bid on homes you would be happy to accept.
How long will it take to be rehoused?
Waiting times vary between areas and property types.
More detailed information is available on the Social Housing Picker here.