Durham Key Options

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Welcome to Durham Key Options, the new way of allocating social housing across County Durham.

The partners who operate Durham Key Options are:

• Durham County Council
• East Durham Homes
• Dale and Valley Homes
• Derwentside Homes
• Sedgefield Borough Home
• Durham City Homes
• Teesdale Housing Association
• Cestria Community Housing

For contact details of the partners please go to the How to Contact Us page on this web site.

What is Durham Key Options?

Durham Key Options is a more open and transparent system that will give you more choice in deciding where you want to live. Properties that are available to rent will be advertised every week and you will be able choose which property/ies you wish to be considered for – this is called "Bidding for a property".

Do not worry about the terms "bid" and "bidding", you will not be parting with money or be asked to take part in an auction. All these terms mean you are advising us you wish to be considered for a property.

All the partners with the exception of Cestria will be advertising their properties for rent each week. Cestria will be joining Durham Key Options later this year.

How to apply

Durham Key Options operates a common housing register between all partners. An applicant need only make one application to the scheme to be able to bid on all homes advertised by the partners with social rented housing that are suitable for their needs.

To register with Durham Key Options please click here.

If you would prefer to complete a paper-based form or would like assistance, please contact a partner of the scheme. Contact details can be found in How to Contact Us'.

How to bid for a property

The bidding cycle will open every Thursday morning and will run until the following Tuesday (one minute to midnight on the Tuesday evening), allowing you to bid for properties within this time. You cannot make a bid on a Wednesday.

You may only bid for a property if you have completed a Durham Key Options application form and have been accepted onto the Durham Key Options housing register

Before you place your bid, you should ensure you are eligible for that property. You can check what properties you are eligible for by going to the page "Registration " on this web site. If you bid for a property you are not eligible for you will not be considered for it.  

What you can do on this site

Our website is packed with useful information to help you find you a suitable home. You can use this website to:

Click How to Contact Us for contact details and opening hours.

Some information on this site is in PDF format (Portable Document Format) To view these documents you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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