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

23 May - 2025

Joining forces with Bishop Auckland College to boost employment and skills

We are enhancing our award-winning employability programme by partnering with Bishop Auckland College (BAC), to help more people get back into work, and broaden access to specialist educational support.

The partnership is set to expand our employability support offer by adding work and training opportunities alongside crucial funding from Adult Skills (Tailored Learning) to bring Green Skills and Retrofit qualifications and learning closer to the community.

The BOOST tailored learning programme is a new support offer available via our Livin Futures team, providing individual work support programmes to remove barriers to work and training, which has been made possible through the partnership. So far, over 30 customers have accessed the learning programme, nine of which have secured employment and 13 are studying towards new qualifications.

Construction students from BAC will now be offered the opportunity to visit our development sites, giving them vital out-of-the-classroom work experience to help them gain jobs in construction once they have completed their courses.

The partnership is also improving access to learning by bringing courses to local communities, with Foundations, located in Church Street, Shildon, set to be offering a range of courses commencing this summer.

Alan Boddy, Chief Executive, Livin, said; “We share with Bishop Auckland College a mutual commitment to support people living in our local communities to gain essential skills to help them secure good, well-paid jobs. By merging our expertise with BAC's outstanding training and educational support, we are joining forces to create more opportunities for local people to build brighter futures.”

Shaun Hope, Chief Executive Officer, BAC, said, “We are incredibly proud to partner with Livin across a wide range of programmes, from vital training initiatives to impactful community engagement. Our organisations share a common goal to strengthen our local communities in Bishop Auckland and the wider South West Durham area, whether through social housing or education. This collaboration will see us working together on crucial green skills training for the construction sector, alongside a series of exciting initiatives and events designed to enhance our local communities."

Pictured: Graham Darby (Director of Housing and Communities), Alan Boddy (Chief Executive), Anne-Marie Chiswell (Assistant Principal, BAC) and Shaun Hope (Chief Executive Officer, BAC)