FAQ
How do I apply for a council house?
To apply for a council house in Lincoln or North Kesteven you will need to first register on this website, this is to set up your initial household details and then you need to complete an application form.
Before you submit your application, you will have the opportunity to upload documents that are required to evidence your current situation, it would be helpful to view the information pages to see what is required and have these ready before you start to submit your application.
Who can apply for a council house?
You can find details about who is eligible on the “Who can apply for housing” page and in our Allocations Policy. You can also view within the Allocations Policy who may be considered non-qualifying for the housing register.
What evidence will I need to provide?
The types of evidence you will need to provide will depend upon your individual circumstances, but we may need:
- Identification such as a passport, driving licence or birth certificate
- Proof of address for you and any other applicants
- Proof of income and savings
- Proof of immigration status (if applicable)
- Landlord References if we ask for one
- Additional information specific to your housing circumstances e.g. medical information, details of support being received or being provided
What happens after I apply?
Once you have applied, we will review your application and may contact you to discuss your housing circumstances or request documents to support your application.
Depending upon your circumstances you may also be asked to attend an appointment.
Failure to provide all the requested documents can lead to your application being closed.
We will write to you to let you know the outcome of the assessment of your application; this will primarily be over email unless otherwise stated in your application to use alternative method.
If you have been accepted, we will write to you tell you your band, effective date, the number of bedrooms you are entitled to and the types of properties you can apply for.
What can I do if I have not heard anything after I have applied?
You will normally receive an email either asking for more information or with the outcome of your assessment. If neither have been received check your SPAM folder or you can login and see the progress of your application online. Please note at busy times applications can take a number of weeks to process, so please be patient.
What are the priority bands?
You can read more about how we allocate properties and our priority bands on the “How properties are allocated” page. Each authority has their own Allocations Policy and criteria to meet for banding; details can also be found in each authorities Allocations Policy.
What do I do if my circumstances change?
You should tell us straight away if anything changes that may impact on your application, you can find more on our “How to update your details” page. You can log in to your application and make amendments at any time.
Once you have submitted a change via the online form, an officer will review the changes and may need to contact you for further information or documents to support this change.
Once all information is received, we will re-assess your application.
How often are properties advertised?
Properties are advertised weekly on a bid cycle.
New properties are advertised and open to bids on Wednesdays at 00:01am.
Bids close for properties the following Monday at 11:59pm.
What are First come first served adverts?
First come first served adverts are for properties that are advertised outside of a bid cycle where there may be less demand and/or we have received no bids during a bid cycle or exhausted the shortlist. Any bids for these properties are listed in order of when a bid is placed and not by band and then effective date.
How do I know if I am eligible for a property?
Once you are logged in you can search for available properties, if you are eligible to bid this will be clearly indicated on the property information.
Details of property size and types are detailed in your acceptance letter and an updated letter will be provided after any change of circumstances has been assessed.
How do I bid for a property?
You can bid for a property by logging in to your account and clicking on the “Apply for property” button on the property you are interested in, you will then need to confirm your details.
What does queue position mean?
The queue position indicates where you are within the list of bids for a property. This is based on your Band and Effective date (and for NKDC – your local connection). For example, if some have a higher priority banding than you, they will be higher in the queue for the property.
Your position in the queue may change frequently depending upon how other people are bidding. Therefore, bids do not have to be placed as soon as the bid cycle starts, you have the whole bid cycle to place your bid and it is the position at the end of bidding that counts as your final queue position.
If I am offered a property, can I view it before I accept?
Yes, you can. Once the property has been through works and it is safe for you to view, a viewing will be arranged at the earliest opportunity.
What is a Renewal?
Each year we are required to review your application, this is known as a Renewal or an Annual Review, therefore, you will be requested to log in and update your application to make sure the information stored is accurate to your current housing situation. Failure to respond to this request will result in the application being closed. As part of this review, you may need to provide up to date documents to support your application.
Which Share code do I need to provide?
You need to provide your share code for your Immigration Status, this Is not to be confused with the right to rent or right to work share code.