Bidding on vacancies (Step 3)
All available vacancies are advertised on the external Homeseeker (Housing Online) website.
You can view available vacancies without a live application for rehousing by clicking on ‘View this week’s properties’ between 00:00 Friday (Thursday evening) to 12:00 on Tuesdays.
However, to be able to place an expression of interest (bid) on a property, you’ll need to have a live application. For more information on how to do this, see the How to make an application section.
The advert will tell you:
- the type of property
- the street address
- number of bedrooms
- rent cost and any other charges
- any features (for example, a large garden)
- who can apply (for example, people aged over 60)
- whether we’ll give priority to any type of applicant (for example, someone whose home is being demolished)
- if we’re letting the property based on how long applicants have been on the housing register
How our system works
The Barnsley Homeseeker scheme is a Choice Based Lettings (CBL) system. This means that all vacancies are advertised and applicants are able to express interest in up to three properties per week that meet their needs.
CBL is a more flexible and customer-centred method of rehousing, different to traditional council waiting lists where properties were offered directly to the applicant at the top of the list. The aim is to allocate empty homes in a way that offers choice, meets people’s needs, and promotes the development of sustainable and balanced communities.
Bidding cycles
Available homes are advertised weekly. The advert opens at 00:00 Friday (Thursday evening) and runs until 12:00 (12noon) on Tuesdays.
There’s no ‘first come, first served’ element to placing a bid, so there’s no need to wait up or rush to apply on Friday. All expressions of interest placed within the bidding cycle will be considered in line with their priority or waiting time.
For more information about how we give priority, see the Things to know before you apply section.
Things to consider before bidding on a property
All applicants are encouraged to carefully consider both the property type and area before placing a bid on a property. There’s no requirement to use all three available bids per cycle, and applicants should be aware that if they refuse a suitable offer of accommodation that they’ve placed a bid on, it may affect the priority given to their application. In other words, only make an expression of interest on a property that you’d like to move into.
Try our interactive Homeseeker Checker Tool first
Our new interactive tool gives details on properties that have been let by area and property type, what priority band the let was made to, and the waiting time of the applicant.
If you’re a potential applicant - use this tool before completing an application to help you understand where we have housing stock, how often it becomes available, and the likely waiting time to be rehoused.
This is particularly helpful for applicants who are flexible about which areas they want to move to.
Research the area
It's helpful to get to know the area you're looking to move to.
Please note - our available properties are typically advertised at the point we receive notice to end tenancy from the outgoing tenant. This means the outgoing tenant is often still in the property, so if you’re going to visit the area before bidding, please don’t knock on the door or enter the garden as it’s someone’s home.
Online tools like Google Maps and Street View can be a useful source of information when considering a bid on a property:
You may also want to look at local amenities such as:
What happens once you’ve placed a bid
Once the Homeseeker advert closes, the successful applicant will typically be contacted within 7 days to discuss the property. If it’s suitable, they will be made a provisional offer of accommodation. Any properties that are refused at this point will be reoffered to applicants from the original list in either priority or waiting time, dependent on the type of let.
We currently receive more than 150 bids on average per available property, so unfortunately, we’re unable to contact unsuccessful applicants directly to advise of bid positions.
Homeseeker Scheme (Lettings Policy) FAQs
Bidding and offer process
The 3 primary ways you can make expressions of interest are:
- Berneslai Homes website by visiting your Housing Online account
- By phoning - 01226 787878
- By emailing - Homeseeker@berneslaihomes.co.uk
The advert will make clear who is eligible to apply for the property. You’ll only be entitled to register 3 expressions of interest in any one CBL cycle and will only be considered for properties for which you are eligible.
When applying on the Berneslai Homes website, you’ll be informed whether or not your expression of interest has been accepted, if your expression is refused, you’ll be advised about how to contact us if you have any concerns about your application.
Properties included in Choice Based Lettings will be advertised on Berneslai Homes website on a weekly cycle which opens Friday morning (00:01 hours) and closes Tuesday at 12:00 noon.
You’re encouraged to carefully consider both the property type and area before placing a bid on a property. There’s no requirement to use all three available bids per cycle, however you should be aware that if you refuse a suitable offer of accommodation that you’ve placed a bid on, it may affect the priority given to your application. In other words, only make an expression of interest on a property that you’d like to move into.
You should consider the location, size, rent amount, local amenities, and the accessibility of the property before submitting a bid.
Whilst it’s important to only express interest on properties you would be willing to accept, waiting times for applicants in all bands who are willing to consider all, or the majority areas of the borough are significantly shorter than those applicants only applying for limited/specific areas.
In limited circumstances we may be able to express interest for you. If you feel this service may be of benefit, please contact our Homeseeker Scheme.
We’ll agree to bid on behalf of applicants for the following reasons:
- Where the applicant isn’t online, is unable to make bids using a public PC at a local library and has no third-party support.
- Where we have agreed an applicant is vulnerable, unable to bid themselves and has no third party to bid for them.
- Barnsley Council Housing Options will make bids on behalf of any applicant subject to a prevention, relief, or full housing duty where the applicant has failed to utilise all three bids available to them and there are suitable properties available.
Once a property advert closes, we produce a shortlist and we’ll offer the property to the highest priority applicant, this is decided by banding first, and then time spent in that band.
There are occasions where a property is not advertised, and it is matched directly to an applicant. We use direct lets to manage the most urgent, sensitive, or specialised cases (see section 5.2.1 of the Lettings Policy)
To make sure we let our vacancies quickly, we’ll attempt to notify you of the offer by phone, email, or other digital means. This will then be followed up by a formal letter.
There are two categories of offer which we would give you:
Provisional - This is where we inform the applicant that the property is being reserved for them but is not yet available. This will progress to a full offer once the property is ready to let. We may also make this type of offer if we have some additional verifications we need to undertake of the applicant.
Full Offer - This is where the keys are available, and the tenancy will commence once the offer is accepted.
We allow you two working days to respond to an offer made verbally, by email or other digital methods. Where we have only made contact by post we allow three working days from the date of the offer letter.
You can refuse any property that is offered to you. However, if we deem the offer to be reasonable, and your reasons for refusing it unreasonable, we may apply sanctions to your application. These could include demotion within band or moving you down to Band 4 if you refuse three properties or more. You can see more information on this in section 5.4.4. of the Lettings Policy.
Things to consider before moving in
The rental amount will be stated on the property advert. Please consider if you can afford this before making any bids on properties. If you need support with managing your finances, our Tenants First team are here to help you. You can contact them by visiting our website here, or visit our webpage that offers support for new tenants here.
You’ll be responsible for setting up your utility bills, council tax, Wi-Fi etc. You must make sure that you can afford to pay these, as well as paying them on time. If you need support with managing your finances, our Tenants First team are here to help you. You can contact them by visiting our website here, or visit our webpage that offers support for new tenants here.
The majority of our properties will be unfurnished, including kitchen appliances (fridges, washing machines etc) and most will not have carpets or flooring already fitted. Please consider how you will furnish the property and what this may cost you.
In some cases, we may support tenants to furnish their properties through our ‘Furnished Tenancy Scheme’. If you are made an offer of a property, our Lettings Coordinators will discuss this with you at the time.
Please read further Lettings Policy FAQs on the 'things to know before you apply' page here and 'how to make an application' page here.
