At the end of the bidding cycle, a shortlist of bidders is drawn up for each property. The shortlist will only include applicants who have made bids for the property and who are eligible to bid for the property.

The shortlist will place all bidders in the following order:
• Band
• Applicants with a connection to North Norfolk
• Relevant Date

The applicant in the highest band who has a connection to North Norfolk will be at the top of the shortlist. If there is more than one applicant in the same band and they all have a connection to North Norfolk the Relevant Date will be used to prioritise the applicant who has been waiting the longest. Applicants in the same band who do not have a connection to North Norfolk will be placed after those that do in the shortlist. The applicant at the top of the shortlist will be offered the property unless they are not suitable for the property.

For properties on Exception Housing Schemes different rules apply to who will be at the top of the shortlist, please see the section “Some properties with the Local Connection Sign” for more information.

For shared ownership properties, the property can only be sold to a household who can afford to purchase the share being sold. Housing association tenants in North Norfolk are given first preference for shared ownership properties before Homeseekers. Unless the shared ownership property is on an Exception Housing Scheme preference will be given to applicants who have been waiting the longest (see above) and who need the size of property being advertised.

For private rented properties, some private rented landlords will contact bidders to discuss whether the property is suitable for them. In other cases the Council will provide the landlord with one or more names for the property. The Council will consider when shortlisting whether the bidder can afford to rent the property and if they would be reliant on
Housing Benefit whether they would (subject to their income and circumstances) be eligible for full Housing Benefit, any shortfall in rent must be affordable to the prospective tenant. Private rented properties will therefore not be shortlisted in the same way as housing association properties or shared ownership properties. Please note not all properties advertised will have a rent that falls within the Local Housing Allowance.

Relevant Date
The relevant date for applicants with an Emergency Card or in Bands 1 or 2 will be the date they were issued with the Emergency Card or placed in Band 1 or 2. For Bands 3, 4 and 5 the relevant date will be the date their housing application was registered.

Connection to North Norfolk
You will have a connection to North Norfolk if you or your partner have lived in the North Norfolk District Council area for 6 months out of the past 12 months or 3 years out of the past 5. You will also have a connection if you or your partner work in the district or have a close family member who has lived in the district for the past 5 years.

Viewing
The bidder at the top of each property shortlist will be contacted by the landlord of the advertised property. Applicants at the top of a shortlist will normally be contacted within a week of the bidding cycle closing. Some landlords will contact the top 3 or 5 bidders, if they do this, they will tell the shortlisted bidders their position on the shortlist. These bidders may all be given a chance to view the property.

If you are shortlisted and are invited to view a property and you have changed your mind or are unable to go along at the time given please let the landlord know.

If you successfully bid for more than one property in the same bidding cycle, you will be asked which property you would prefer.

Offers
The landlord of the property will consider the suitability of each applicant in order on the shortlist until a suitable tenant has been found and the property will then be offered to that applicant. If the applicant refuses the offer of the property the landlord will continue to use the shortlist to find a suitable tenant. If there are no suitable applicants the property may be re-advertised in a future bidding cycle. If a property is re-advertised the eligibility criteria may be changed.

If you accept the offer of a tenancy you cannot be considered for any other properties in the current or future bidding cycles unless you decide to refuse the property you have accepted.

You do not have to accept an offer of a property, but if you do not we would like to know the reasons why as this will help us ensure that the adverts are easy to understand and include the right information.

If you are someone to whom the Council has accepted a homelessness duty, special rules may apply and you should contact the Council if you are considering not accepting the offer of a property.

Before you are offered a property the landlord will ask you to provide proof of your identity and any other relevant information for example proof of parental responsibility for any children that live with you.

Direct Lets
The North Norfolk Choice Based Lettings Policy allows for some properties to be let without being advertised, this is called a Direct Let. Direct Lets will only be made in certain limited circumstances. For more information see the North Norfolk Choice Based Lettings Policy.