Due to our Christmas opening times, any rent payments you make from Tuesday 24 December until Sunday 4 January will not show on your account.

Your account will be updated on Monday 5 January 2026.

Rent to buy

Rent to Buy is a government designed scheme that allows working households to rent a home at 20% below the open market rent (Intermediate rent). This can provide you with the opportunity to save for a deposit, to then go on and purchase your home in the future.

How does it work?

With Rent to Buy, you can live in a high-quality, new build home for a minimum of five years. During that time, you will save towards a deposit and have the option to buy your home outright or through shared ownership.

We have a number of developments which include Rent to Buy homes in the near future. If you are interested please complete the application form. Keep an eye on the rent to buy tab on our find a home page to make sure you don't miss out.

Rent to buy application form Rent to buy homes

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.