Bidding for properties

It is important that if you are asked to attend a viewing that you make every effort to attend the viewing, even if you may not be in the top three bidders asked to attend. Please note that we are advertising our properties twice a week.

Our bidding cycles are:

Advert 1: opening on Monday and closing on Wednesday midnight

Advert 2: opening on Friday and closing on Sunday midnight.

For useful information on bidding for properties visit Bidding for a property.

Virtual Tours

The council are trying out a new virtual tour viewing approach for Camden owned properties. If you are successful enough to be shortlisted, you will be sent a link to your mobile phone where you will be able to view all aspects of the home that you have bid for. The virtual tour will allow you to see the full dimensions of the property in detail, including a floor plan. We would ask you to view the virtual tour as soon as you receive it and let us know the following day whether you wish to accept or reject the property. We will ask you to contact the Neighbourhood Housing Officer with your decision.

Unfortunately, because of the ongoing pandemic, we will not be able to offer a physical viewing unless there are exceptional circumstances. Please contact the named Neighbourhood Housing Officer if you need to discuss the property further.

Please ensure we have your most recent mobile number so that we are able to send you the link to the virtual tour if you are successful in your bid. You can do this online at: https://www.camden.gov.uk/update-social-housing-application or via the telephone on 020 7974 6498. If we do not have an up to date mobile number you may miss out on viewing a home.

Verifications

We need to make sure that the information you tell us about your housing situation on your housing application is correct. This is called a verification or verifying your application. Incorrect information could lead to points being removed. To verify a housing application, we will need to see some identification or on some occasions visit you in your home. Visit for further information What is verification.

Medical assessments

You can be awarded points if you have a medical condition and your current housing worsens that condition or makes it difficult to live in your home. You can tell us about your medical condition at the point you apply for housing or you can update your application. You will be sent a medical assessment form to complete and return the form to us as soon as possible; please do not send us prescriptions or hospital appointment letters. It is possible that you may not keep the medical points, so please do not update your application repeatedly, only if your condition significantly deteriorates. Please see Medical assessments.

Local lettings plan

There are times where we may give priority to tenants or residents in a particular area. This is called a Local Lettings Plan. We usually apply a Local lettings Plan to Community Investment Programmes where we have had to regenerate an estate and build new homes. We will tell you when we advertise properties where a Local Lettings Plan applies.

Sensitive lets

There are occasions where may have to let some properties sensitively. These occasions could be for example where:

• The previous occupant has been evicted on the grounds of harassment/nuisance.

• Where there has been a high incidence level recorded of problems with harassment/nuisance in a block or particular part of an estate.

• Where there is a high concentration of vulnerable households in one corridor, block, estate or area who may be susceptible to exploitation.

We will tell you when we advertise properties when a Sensitive Let applies.

Ground floor priority

We will give priority for ground floor properties to those applicants who have received a medical recommendation for ground floor properties. This means that we shortlist and invite those applicants who have this recommendation to view a ground floor property first even though they may not have the highest points.

Wheelchair units

We advertise wheelchair accessible homes and households who have this assessed need will be able to bid on these homes when they become available. Those households who have not been assessed as needing this type of specialist housing will not be able to bid for these homes.  We will indicate when the properties are advertised homes that are wheelchair accessible.

The majority of homes that are advertised are not suitable to be adapted, therefore if you bid successfully and have an Occupational Therapist, we would advise you to speak to them for advice about the suitability of the property.

Accessible housing register

The London Accessible Housing Register has been trialled and in use with some other London Boroughs over the last few years and is a component of CBL. It involves collecting information on the accessibility of properties that can be included in the property advert to help bidders identify suitable properties that should meet their needs. Each property is given an overall grade which must meet certain criteria in relation to amount of steps, both internally and externally, and internal circulation space.

In effect this means that home-seekers who have a disability can view relevant information about housing on offer so that they can bid on an inclusive choice based letting system. For more information you can go to Accessible Housing Register

Tenancy information

When you accept a property you will sign a tenancy agreement and be given information on the tenancy conditions. It is important that you pay attention to the tenancy conditions because if you breach the tenancy conditions, this could place your tenancy in jeopardy. For more information go to Tenancy Information.