Durham County Council has changed the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. From 1 April 2026, all working‑age residents will need to contribute towards their Council Tax.

We want to make sure you have the right advice and support. If you’re unsure how these changes might affect you, or what to do next, please contact Durham County Council on 03000 262 0000.

Supporting Sustainable Tenancies

We want our tenants to feel proud to live in their home and community, and we are committed to helping sustain tenancies by providing support to improve health and wellbeing and promote independence.

Here’s how we are doing…

Performance measures

353 Customers into employment (target 365) upper quartile

2.79% Rent arrears as a % of the rent due (target 3.15%) median quartile

26.70 Days to re-let a property (that did not need major improvement works) (target 27 days) upper quartile

7.06% Tenancy turnover (target 8.00%) median quartile

91.86% Satisfaction with the allocations and lettings service (target 94%)

92.78% Satisfaction with aids and adaptations service (target 95%)

56.74% of tenants using digital means to manage their tenancy (target 53%)

Key stats

47,756 bids for homes received from prospective and existing tenants

789 Homes were let with 95% of being let to those with the highest housing need

86% Adapted homes let to applicants who had medical need and or required adaptations to help them live independently

£1.8m In financial gains for 1,272 tenants including welfare benefits, grant funding and affordable credit

1,402 Support interventions delivered to help tenants sustain their tenancies

Sustainable Tenancies – The year in review

During the year we completed over 4,100 tenancy visits to homes. These visits help us make sure your home is safe and in good condition, and they also give us a chance to check in and see if you or anyone in your household might need support.

We are committed to supporting you when you need it most and, in a year when our communities continued to face real hardship, we have set up a hub on our website, so you know what support is available to help you save and manage your money.

Our team of advisors are here to help too. In the last year, they have supported over 1,200 tenants and helped generate £1.8 million in financial gains. That includes welfare benefits, grant funding, and access to affordable credit. Through our Livin Futures programme, we have also helped 353 tenants into work and training. Since this programme began, it has reached 3,000 customers.

As the housing crisis continues, we are always looking for new ways to provide the homes you need in the areas you are proud to call home. We have built over 260 homes this year despite the challenges the construction industry is experiencing.

We are working with local authorities, partners and developers to create more homes in the local area to reduce the number of people on housing waiting lists. As well as building new homes, we have also adapted existing homes and supported home swap arrangements, to ensure you can live in a home that suits your needs.

We listened, we acted

We listened  (Tenancy Visit Programme Focus Group)

You told us that we needed to be clearer about the purpose of your tenancy visit, and what to expect.

We acted 

We have updated our Tenancy Visit letters to include clear explanations of what the visits involve and why they’re important. Appointment letters explain how long a visit takes and we are improving the information on tenancy visits given to all new customers when they start their tenancy.

We listened, we acted

We listened (Customer Voice – Arrears Management Policy Review Focus Group)

You told us that some tenants may not want to seek financial support due to pride and fear of stigma, and that it was important for us to have empathy and be understanding. This would help tenants feel comfortable and supported to talk about money issues.

We acted 

We delivered training to our Financial Inclusion Team to make sure every interaction is sensitive, respectful and empathetic. This helps to provide advice and support to customers in a way they feel understood, and confident to work with us.

How to contact

contactus@livin.co.uk

www.durhamkeyoptions.co.uk

0800 587 4538

Have you read our summarised policies?

We have summarised our customer policies to make them accessible and easy to read.

Summarised Customer Policies

Consistently Delivering Excellent Customer Experience and Digital Services

Contributing to a Sustainable Future

Supporting Balanced and Sustainable Communities

Supporting Sustainable Tenancies

Providing Quality Sustainable Homes

Building and Acquiring Sustainable Homes

Finance

How do I apply for a Livin home or bungalow?

We advertise all of our available homes on our Find A Home page, simply visit this page for more information.

Before you can place a bid on one of our homes, you must first have an active account with the relevant Choice Based Lettings Scheme. Almost all our homes are located in County Durham and therefore are allocated through the Durham Key Options scheme. Durham Key Options (DKO) is a partnership between Durham County Council and landlords across County Durham.

We have a small number of homes which are located outside Durham, these are all advertised through Tees Valley HomeFinder, Hartlepool HomeSearch and Darlington HomeSearch; They are similar to Durham Key Options but we do not process applications registered for these schemes. If you wish to register an application for homes advertised in this area, please apply directly.

Once your application is approved, you will then be able to bid on homes that meet your needs. You can access the application form directly by visiting the relevant Choice Based Lettings system.

How long will it take for my application to be processed?

We aim to start processing your application within 10 working days. If we require any further information after this point, we will contact you to ask for this. Once we have received all the required information we will notify you of our decision within 20 days, and if accepted we will activate your account. You can also check your application status online by logging into the DKO portal.

How can I get involved with Livin and help to shape services?

To find out more about the different ways you can get involved, please visit our getting involved section.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Buy?

Tenants who have been with Livin since before the transfer from Sedgefield Council in 2009 may have the “Preserved Right to Buy” their property. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Buy website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Acquire?

If you have been a tenant for 3 or more years you may have the right to buy your property under the Right to Acquire scheme. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Acquire website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.