Basildon Choice

Bidding 

You can bid on-line at home if you have access to a computer or Smart phone.  Free computer access is also available in the Basildon Centre.     
You can only bid if you have an ACTIVE homeseeker application

Bidding Cycle 

Bids can be placed on available properties from 00.01 am on Friday (just after midnight on Thursday night) until 11.59 pm on Monday (just before midnight Monday) every week.

You will be able to enter up to 3 bids per week, subject to available properties and can withdraw them during the bidding cycle.

You will need your unique reference number (Homeseeker Register Application number) your memorable date and passsword.  If you would like to apply to the homeseeker register but have not done so then you can access the application form via this link - Apply to the homeseeker register.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO STAY UP UNTIL THE BIDDING OPENS TO MAKE SURE YOU PLACE THE FIRST BID!!**

Being the first person to place a bid doesn't make you any more or less likely to be successful. It does not matter if you place your bid as soon as the cycle starts or just before it ends. Your finishing position will still be the same, however please be aware that this is only an indication of your position and can change. This is because the system will work out your position at the end of the cycle depending on who else has bid for the same property and if any auto-bids have been scheduled to be put on at the close of bidding by the system.

If you need help with bidding or would like someone else to bid on your behalf, you should let us know. If you have a support or social worker, they may be able to help you with bidding on-line. If you are using the computers at the Basildon Centre, there will be staff available to help you.

Applicants who bid after the bidding cycle has closed will not be considered for properties in that cycle.      

 How to bid 

 Log into your account by entering your unique reference number, memorable date and password
 In property search -search for all properties or property types you are eligible for.
The Basic search tab shows all available properties or you can enter the location and number of bedrooms you want to search.      
The Advanced search button will narrow the search down even further however you will still only be able to bid on properties you are eligible for.    
To search only for eligible properties click on the SHOW ELIGIBLE properties tab.   

Viewing your Bids

You can LOG IN to your account at any time and click on 'My Bids' to view your bids and to see what position you are in for that property. This may help you to decide whether to remove bids from a particular property and place it on another one if available. 

Some applicants may have bids placed automatically for them (auto bidding), which are not placed until just after the bidding cycle has finished.      

 Not eligible for bidding        

If you click on a property that you are not eligible for and attempt to bid, a notification will appear stating the reasons why you are not eligible for that property.
Various reasons why you will be unable to place a bid are as follows, although this is not an exhaustive list 

●  You are not eligible for the size of the property
●  You have already placed 3 bids during the bidding cycle - to remove a bid from one property and place it on another then log in to your account, you can withdraw any bid during the letting cycle.) 
●  You do not have an active application - your application maybe waiting to be assessed or may have been suspended      

Families can bid on Basildon Council owned properties 1 bedroom larger than their bedroom entitlement

If you are registered for general needs family sized accommodation (2-bedroom plus), with an active application you will also be able to bid for properties owned by Basildon Council which are up to one bedroom more than your registered bedroom entitlement if the property is not considered in the reasonable opinion of the council, to be unaffordable. This would be assessed at time of shortlisting. Priority for all properties will be given to applicants whose bedroom entitlement meets the bedroom criteria of the property
How to bid for these properties When you log onto your account the Entitled Bids view will show available properties that match your bedroom entitlement, plus available properties one bedroom above this. If the bid is successful affordability checks may need to be carried out before any offer of a property is made.
This option is not available when bidding on properties owned by our partner housing associations or Sempra Homes.  

 

Transfer only properties 

A quota of up to 20% of all family sized accommodation available to let through the Homeseeker register are prioritised for transferring Basildon Borough Council/Housing Association tenants. These properties are identified by the heading ‘For transfer tenants only ’in the full Property Search view.

 

Sheltered Properties

If you are bidding for sheltered properties, in most cases you will be able to bid on 1 and 2 bed properties but preference for a 2 bed property will be given to applicants who have been assessed as requiring 2 beds before applicants who have been assessed as needing a 1 bed property are considered. 

  Contact Details

If you are successful in bidding, the only ways you will be notified to contact us is via your MESSAGE BOX in your online account and Email (if you have provided us with an email address). 

No letter will be sent out via the post advising you that you have been successful as this would not be delivered to you before the 48 hour deadline for contacting us with up to date documentation which is needed for validation of the information you have stated on your homeseeker application form.

For an initial period when you click on a property advert, you will see a warning box on the advert to remind you that you need to regularly check your MESSAGE BOX in your on-line account and your EMAIL messages.  This is very important because if you are successful in bidding, these are the only ways you will be notified to contact us urgently.