Frequently asked questions

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.

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Case Study

Jubilee Fields Community Centre

Jubilee Fields Community Centre (JFCC) is situated in the heart of Jubilee Fields Estate in Shildon. The centre is run by a small team, and an army of volunteers to enable it to meet the needs of the community. Like many charities, the centre relies heavily on volunteers to support delivery of activities such as school holiday clubs, with an average of four or more people volunteering their time to ensure they run smoothly.

Over the last two years we're proud to say we have supported JFCC with £3,500 of funding to help them deliver holiday clubs with a further grant of £1,000 to host a sustainability themed family fun day.

In summer 2022 they were able to deliver a varied four weeks program including rounders, football, cricket, arts and crafts, cookery and team building.

The lovely team at the JFCC commented

“Without financial support from Livin, we would not be able to offer free sessions over the holidays. This year we have been able to secure funding from Fun and Food due to having match funding from Livin, this will enable us to provide a free meal and snack for all young people attending. During the current cost of living Crisis this is especially important. We are are a small charity with large overheads so rely on funding for projects"

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