Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a number answers to frequent questions that you may find useful. If you can't find the question below then please contact us.
What is Home Options Newport and how do I register?
How do I know if I have been accepted onto the Home Options scheme?
I have completed an application, why can't I bid/When will my application be assessed?
Can you refuse to accept me onto the Home Options scheme?
How do I find out which properties are available?
What is bidding and how do I place a bid?
What if I can't bid for myself?
Can I select a property that is bigger or smaller than my needs?
Who gets the property?
I placed a bid on a property can you tell me if I have been successful/What happens if I am successful?
My bids keep being unsuccessful. Is there any point in me carrying on bidding?
If I bid earlier in the week, am I more likely to get the property?
What if I want to refuse an offer of accommodation?
What do I do if my circumstances change?
What if someone has a medical condition?
My child is disabled and requires a room of their own.
My property needs repairs/Is in poor condition.
What if I become homeless or if I am at risk of being made homeless?
I am homeless and in temporary accommodation, Can I still take part in the scheme?
I have rent arrears. Can I take part?
I am interested in sheltered accommodation. Can I take part?
I am a housing association tenant who wants to move. Will I qualify?
I want to swap my property/take part in a mutual exchange?
How do I request a review of a decison?
How long will it be before I am rehoused?
If I join the scheme, will I be offered a property?
I want to close my application
What is Home Options Newport and how do I register?
Home Options is a choice based lettings scheme which enables people to find housing association homes for rent or part purchase, as well as opportunities within the private rented sector. Please see our How to Use The Service section for further information.
How do I know if I have been accepted onto the Home Options scheme?
You will receive confirmation via letter or email. This will tell you your registration number, date of registration, which band you have been placed in and the level of points awarded.
I have completed an application, why can't I bid/When will my application be assessed?
Once you have completed an application it needs to be assessed by the Home Options team before you are able to place any bids. Once your application has been assessed there will be a letter in your messages on your Home Options account and an email will follow. As of June 2023, we are dealing with a large backlog of applications due to a sharp increase in demand for social housing. Therefore, the time taken for applications to be assessed is significant. We are unable to provide accurate timescales for application assessments.
Can you refuse to accept me onto the Home Options scheme?
YYes. There are some people who are not eligible to be included on the Housing Register. If you are found ineligible to register, you will be notified of the reasons in writing and advised of your right of appeal. More detailed information is contained within the Home Options Newport policy.
How do I find out which properties are available?
Properties are advertised weekly on the Home Options webpage. The bidding cycle starts on a Friday and closes at midnight the following Wednesday. The website is closed for bidding on Thursdays.
What is bidding and how do I place a bid?
Bidding is the term commonly used to explain the process of ‘expressing an interest’ in a property. It is important to only bid on properties that you are interested in as if you refuse two offers of accommodation then your application will be removed from the Home Options Newport scheme. You can place up to 4 bids per week by visiting the website, by telephone, by text message, email or in person at our offices.
What if I can't bid for myself?
The system can be set to "auto bid" for you. The auto bid system will choose 4 appropriate properties within the areas you have selected. Alternatively, a family member or advocate can bid on your behalf. If you wish to select the auto bid feature, you will need to speak with a member of staff.
Can I select a property that is bigger or smaller than my needs?
No, you will only be able to select properties that you are eligible for. In some instances, you will be able to apply for properties with 1 bedroom more than you require. However, Housing Associations will give preference to those households who occupy all bedrooms. If offered a property with more bedrooms than you require, you will also need to be able to demonstrate that you can afford the rent, and financial checks will be carried out before a formal offer is made.
Offers will generally be made first to bidders from the preferred band with the highest points and the earliest effective/registration date. Where there are no suitable applicants from the preferred band, offers will then be made to bidders from the highest band with the highest points and the earliest effective/ registration date.
Home Options are unable to advise on the outcome of individual bids. If your bid is successful, the Housing Association concerned will contact you as soon as possible after the advertising comes to an end. They will need to carry out verification checks and arrange a viewing of the property with you. If you pass all checks, you will be formally offered the property.
My bids keep being unsuccessful. Is there any point in me carrying on bidding?
There is an exceptionally high demand for social housing in Newport with nearly 10’000 people currently on the waiting list. The lower your housing need band the longer it may take for you to be housed. You can increase your chances of being rehoused by
-increasing the number of areas you are willing to live in
-being willing to accept a range of property types including flats, maisonettes, houses etc..
-You should also be open to considering other housing options where appropriate such as mutual exchange, private rented housing, or low-cost home ownership.
If I bid earlier in the week, am I more likely to get the property?
No. Applying earlier will make no difference. The bidding cycle starts on a Friday and closes at midnight the following Wednesday.
What if I want to refuse an offer of accommodation?
For all applicants, a refusal of an offer will not have any negative consequences if that refusal is considered reasonable as the property is unsuitable for your needs. If you are owed a homeless duty and you refuse an offer of accommodation that that is considered suitable for your household, any homelessness duty owed to you will be ended. If you have been awarded additional priority for an urgent move and you refuse an offer of accommodation that is considered suitable for your household, your additional priority will be removed. For all applicants, if you refuse two reasonable offers of accommodation your application will be removed from the housing register. Should this happen, you will be able to re-apply but the level of preference awarded will generally not exceed Band C.
What do I do if my circumstances change?
Tell us by updating your application for housing via the Home Options website. It is very important that you tell us of any changes in your circumstances so that we can amend your application. We will tell you if this results in your application moving to a different band.
If you have updated your housing application, please do not contact us for an update on when these changes will be processed.
What if someone has a medical condition?
If you have stated on your application that someone in your household has a health condition, we will send you a Health and welfare needs form (HAWN) to complete and return to us along with evidence showing how your current housing is having an adverse impacti on your health condition. The Home Options team will review the information and may grant additional preference if the information clearly shows that your housing situation is impacting your health. If you are granted additional preference, there is an expectation that you will apply for properties that meet your housing and medical/health requirements. If you do not express interest in suitable properties, your additional preference may be amended.
My child is disabled and requires a room of their own.
For an additional bedroom to be considered for children with a disability we would require evidence that your child is in receipt of middle or higher rate DLA for care, and a letter from a medical professional stating that the condition means the child cannot share a bedroom. Please note that us agreeing that an extra bedroom is required is not a guarantee that this will be paid by Universal Credit and will still ultimately be the landlords decision. Due to the current cost of living, our Registered Social Landlords are not offering extra bedrooms unless the full cost is covered.
My property needs repairs/Is in poor condition.
If your property requires repairs, you should first contact your landlord to advise them of this and give them reasonable opportunity to act on this information. If repair/property condition issues persist, you should contact the councils environmental health team on environmental.health@newport.gov.uk or on 01633 665156. If you are a housing association tenant, you should utilise your landlords’ internal complaints procedure before approaching environmental health. On receipt of an environmental health report, the Home Options team will consider if your application can be awarded additional priority.
What if I become homeless or if I am at risk of being made homelessness?
If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, then you should visit our drop-in service. You can find us on Floor 2 of the Central Library, John Frost Square, Newport NP20 1PA. We are available between 9 and 5 Mondays to Fridays and close between 1pm and 2pm for lunch. If you are unable to attend our drop-in service, you should contact the council on 01633 665 156 or at Rehousing.Services@newport.gov.uk. The Council will complete a homelessness assessment and work with you to try to prevent you becoming homeless and will discuss your housing solutions with you. If you have applied to Home Options Newport for accommodation and your application has been accepted on to the register, you will still need to continue to bid on properties.
I am homeless and in temporary accommodation. Can I still take part in the scheme?
Yes. You can take part in the same way as other applicants. However, the band awarded to you will depend on your circumstances and the duty owed to you under legislation. You will need to speak with the Council over this if you are unsure at all. If you are a homeless applicant and you have failed to bid (and cannot provide a reasonable reason why) or have failed to select a range of suitable properties, the Council may decide to make a direct offer of accommodation to you. If you refuse the property, the council may consider that it has discharged its duty towards you. You will then be asked to leave the temporary accommodation provided for you and your band will change.
I have rent arrears. Can I take part?
Yes. You will be able to take part, provided you are eligible to register but you will not normally be offered a new tenancy until you make a clear commitment to clear the debt owed and have maintained payments for an agreed period of time. You need to contact your landlord or ex-landlord to discuss with them arrangements to repay any debt.
I am interested in sheltered accommodation. Can I take part?
Yes. Properties are advertised in the normal way and age, or other restrictions are listed on the advert. If you are interested in Extra Care Schemes you will need to contact Linc Cymru Housing Association directly as an assessment of your needs has to be undertaken. Linc Cymru can be contacted on 0800 072 0966.
I am a housing association tenant who wants to move. Will I qualify?
Tenants living in housing association homes are assessed in the same way as other applicants. Your priority depends on the home you live in and your need for alternative accommodation.
I want to swap my property/take part in a mutual exchange?
The council do not manage mutual exchange applications. You can register on www.homeswapper.co.uk, but the council do not run or control this website. You can only take part in a mutual exchange if you are a current social housing tenant. You will need to speak to your landlord about any mutual exchange queries.
How do I request a review of a decision?
To request a review you must contact a member of staff and state which decision(s) you disagree with and why. You can provide additional information that you wish to be considered when the review is carried out. You will normally be advised of the outcome of the review within 56 days. However, in certain cases this may be longer, and you will be notified of this if this is the case.
How long will it be before I am rehoused?
This is not a question we are able to answer. The wait for housing is influenced by several factors including but not limited to;
- How long you have been on the waiting list.
- Your banding
- Your housing needs
- The type of property you require
- The number of people bidding on properties
- The number of areas/types of property you are willing to consider.
If I join the scheme, will I be offered a property?
There is a high demand for accommodation and not all applicants will be successful. Acceptance on to the register does not guarantee an offer of accommodation.
I want to close my application
If you no longer wish to register for Social Housing in Newport please log in to your account and select the ‘request closure’ option.