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Frequently asked questions

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.

More FAQ's

12 Apr - 2024

Celebrating 15 Years of Livin

Chief Executive and Chair of the Board holding a cheque for money raised

This year marks our 15^th anniversary. We started out as Sedgefield Borough Homes back in 2009 following a stock transfer from the Borough Council which unlocked £122million investment in local homes and communities.

Since our inception we have remained true to our values of putting the community at heart and supporting local people and community groups. Our longstanding Livin Futures programme has helped a massive 7,700 people into jobs and training and through successfully securing matched external funding we have invested over £11million into our Community Regeneration fund to support local community-based projects, partnerships and provide much needed targeted support where it is most needed. From foodbanks and youth clubs to dementia cafes and environmental improvements, our projects have helped improve the lives of thousands of local people over the last 15 years.

Through careful investments and many successful partnerships, we continue to grow and our portfolio of over 8600 homes has increased and diversified to meet local demand. At the same time, we have invested over £36million in regenerating local communities, redesigning and improving the energy efficiency of homes as well as improving estates and environmental design.

At our celebration event employees, Board members and involved tenants raised a total of £2,400 for Cancer Research UK and prizes were kindly donated by key partners including Mears Group, MRI Software, Oaktree Living, Spennymoor FC, The Works, and Ward Hadaway.

Alan Boddy, Chief Executive, said: “We chose to mark our 15 year anniversary by celebrating our many achievements with those who make it all happen day in day out – our employees, partner organisations, Board members and involved tenants. It was great to see everyone joining in and giving so generously for a cause close to all our hearts. I am incredibly proud of Livin and the work we have done over the last 15 years, investing in homes and communities and supporting local people. As we look to the future, we will remain rooted in local communities, will continue to invest in building, maintaining and improving local homes and providing much needed support to help our tenants and customers with the challenges they face.”

Pictured: Livin employees, Board members and involved tenants