Homeseeker: Council changes how homes are let

As of Monday, February 25, Homeseeker, a new system, will be introduced to offer more choice for those waiting for housing.

Homeseeker is a simpler system that moves away from the traditional housing list. Currently, if you are an existing applicant, you must wait until your position on the waiting list triggers an offer for you on a specific home.

With Homeseeker, the council will advertise all homes that are about to become vacant (along with our new council homes when they are available) online each week.

Those on the housing list, including existing tenants who want to move, will be invited to register an interest in (or “bid” for) one or more of them.

The council will no longer be using points to assess a person’s need for housing. Instead, when someone wants to transfer to a different council home, their housing need will be assessed and they will be put you into one of five priority groups.

When available homes are advertised, it will be made clear which group(s) can bid for each of them. The successful bidder for each will be the bidder who has been on the list longest within the group.

Housing and Maintenance Services Convener, Councillor Danny Devlin said: “As a small council with a very limited supply of homes for rent, we had a real desire to improve the options for existing tenants and for those in housing need on our housing list. Homeseeker will make the whole process simpler for residents as well as giving them more choice in the home they bid for and it will ensure that those most in need will have priority.”

The weekly available homes list will also be available to view in council offices and those already on the waiting list have been informed of their new priority group in writing. To find out more on Homeseeker visit www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/housing or call 0141 577 3001.