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Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a Livin home?

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.

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 Durham Key Options. If you’re still unsure how to do this, you can watch our helpful video which talks you through the process.

We have a small number of homes which are located outside Durham, these are all advertised through the Compass Choice Based Lettings scheme in Teesside; Compass is similar to Durham Key Options but we do not process applications registered for this scheme. If you wish to register an application for homes advertised in this area, please apply directly with Compass.

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.

More FAQ's

Looking After Your Home

We aim to make all our homes comfortable, safe and welcoming places to live.

Home safety

Home safety page Home safety page

We have a legal responsibility to carry out regular checks to ensure that your home is safe and efficient.

Stairlift maintenance

Stairlift maintenance page Stairlift maintenance page

Everything you need to know about your stairlift maintenance appointment, assuring that your stairlift is working correctly and is safe for you.

Damp and condensation

View guide View guide

A guide to keeping your home free from damp and mould.

Reporting repairs

Our repairs service is available to help you to keep your home in good condition. Most repairs are included in your tenancy and can be reported or booked online.

Report a repair Report a repair

Making alterations to your home

If you wish to carry out improvements yourself, you should first get in touch to make sure that we have agreed in advance to the alteration. Certain works also require building regulation approval and planning permission, and our staff can advise on this.

All works should be carried out by suitably qualified contractors, and should you later decide to move out, you may be required to leave any fixtures or fittings you have installed or reinstate the original fittings.

To apply for permission to alter your home, just get in touch, giving full details of the work you intend to carry out.

Request permission Request permission

Home improvement scheme

Our home improvement scheme runs each year and aims to make sure that our homes are high in quality and provide a safe and welcoming environment for you to live in.

If your home is scheduled to have improvements carried out this year we will be in touch to let you know the next steps. Your health and wellbeing are our priority and we will continue to closely follow the most recently published government guidance, taking all necessary precautions to deliver our services safely.

Your home Improvements Your home Improvements