How to bid on properties and manage your account

We're introducing a new way for you to search for a home online with Johnnie Johnson Housing. We hope you can find everything you need to know about using the service through our frequently asked questions below.  

What is Choice Based Lettings?

From 30th June 2021, Johnnie Johnson Housing (JJH) will operate a Choice Based Lettings (CBL) scheme to allocate the majority of its available homes to rent. The scheme allows you to choose the properties you are interested in, rather than Johnnie Johnson Housing deciding what property to offer you.

In other words, CBL aims to help you take a greater role in choosing where you would like to live.  Available properties are advertised here on the website and you can ‘bid’ on (express an interest in) advertised homes that you are eligible for and would like to call ‘home’.

An advertising cycle lasts for a minimum of 7 days and the end date is displayed on the advert. At the end of an advertising cycle, all bids are shortlisted in line with our Allocations Policy & Procedures. 

What is a ‘bid’?

Placing a ‘bid’ simply means expressing an interest in a property. There is no financial commitment involved in placing a bid on a property. You can view all available properties on the website without joining the Housing Register by clicking on the PROPERTIES button on the Home Page of the website, but you can only ‘bid’ if you are on the Housing Register, logged in to your account and your housing application is ‘active’ (this also applies to existing JJH residents wishing to transfer).

How will I know if my account is active?

After you submit a housing application, we will let you know when it is made active, what housing need band you have been placed in and the size of property you are eligible for.

How do I place a bid?

Log in to your account. You will be presented with your dashboard which displays properties that you are eligible to bid on, any open bids you have placed and any unread messages or actions:

By clicking on the ‘suitable properties’ button, the properties that you are eligible to bid on will be displayed. Click anywhere on the advert to view full details about the property.