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.

Third Party Authorisation

Third party authorisation is a process where you, our tenant, can grant permission to a family member, friend or a professional to act on your behalf to manage your tenancy. We understand that sometimes circumstances mean you need help to manage your tenancy, we will work with you to understand your needs to see if third party authorisation is right for you.

You can choose to allow that third party access to the whole tenancy or something specific, such as the rent account. This is designed to support you with temporary or long term needs, who are struggling to manage their tenancy.

Guidance for Third Party Authorisation

You are able to request Third Party Authorisation if you meet the following criteria:

You have Power of Attorney
The tenant has given consent for another organisation to discuss their records for a specific reason and period
If an appointee/deputy has responsibility to act in the best interest of the tenant i.e. social services
If the tenant has a diagnosed mental health issue and requires support
The tenant has sensory impairment (hard of hearing. blind) with no digital access
If a tenant is in hospital, respite care or a rehabilitation centre and requires support

You can request a Third Party Authorisation by completing our online form.

Complete our form

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.