Welcome to Bedfordshire Homefinder
Choice Based Lettings in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire Homefinder is the choice based lettings scheme for Council and Housing Association properties in Bedfordshire. This scheme gives you more choice about where you want to live. Bedfordshire’s Local Authorities and two largest Housing Associations have joined in partnership to create Bedfordshire Homefinder, a new way of letting social housing across the County.
You must be registered on the scheme to participate; contact your local housing office or download an application form if you wish to apply to Bedfordshire Homefinder. Anyone can apply to the scheme provided they are aged 16 years old or more.
If you are accepted onto the scheme, your level of priority for housing will be assessed and you will be placed in one of four Bands. Your priority will affect your chances of being housed. For more information on how priority is assessed please view the Bedfordshire Homefinder Allocations Policy.
So How does it work
Every two weeks (
Calendar), Council and Housing Association properties needing new tenants (including retirement/sheltered properties) are advertised on this website. You can view the current adverts and decide whether you want to be considered for any of the properties.
If you see a property you would like to be considered for, you will need to express your interest. This is known as ‘bidding’. You must be eligible for the properties you bid for – they must be suitable for your family size, for instance. You may bid for up to three properties per fortnight. More information about how properties are advertised and how to bid can be found in the Bedfordshire Homefinder User Guide.
You can see how properties in previous bidding cycles were let by looking at feedback of previous lets on this website. You can see the Band of the successful bidder and how long they have waited to be housed. You can use this information to help you decide where to place your bid. Follow this link to view the results of previous advertising cycles
Adverts and Results.
Housing Options
If you are in Band 4 or at the bottom of Band 3 it could be many years before you are considered for a property through the Bedfordshire Homefinder scheme. Some applicants will never be offered a property through the scheme. To increase your prospects of housing in Bedfordshire you might wish to consider other housing opportunities e.g. private rented, low cost home ownership, mutual exchange etc. Explore what housing options may be available to you Housing Options.
Mutual Exchange
If you are an existing council or housing association tenant, you may be interested in the Bedfordshire Homefinder Mutual Exchange scheme. Follow this link to register, search for a property and find out more information Mutual Exchange (opens new window). For lots more useful information about Bedfordshire Homefinder and how it works, please go to the User Guide.