Manchester Homefinder

Homefinder is updated every Thursday with a fresh batch of PRIORITY homes. But individual FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED properties can be added at any time. Just because a home is still on the website, it doesn’t mean no-one has bid for it yet. It is only removed when it has been accepted by a bidder. They can also be advertised on the website before they appear on the printed Homefinder Weekly. So even though you applied early on Thursday, you may not have been the first eligible person to go for it. So don’t just look and apply on a Thursday. Keep calling, or check the website regularly. Remember Homefinder advertises the homes, you bid for them, the landlord decides who get them.

Homefinder works like an agency. We advertise homes to find potential tenants for landlords in the Manchester Housing Register. We take the bids for the homes and pass them on to the relevant landlord. It’s the landlord, not Homefinder, who make the final decision.

All Manchester Housing Register landlords are not-for-profit organisations. They must make sure that housing is used in the best way – that means matching available homes to appropriate households. Landlords wouldn’t normally want a family-sized house going to a single person for instance. And obviously they must not overcrowd people – so a one-bed flat would not be offered to a family.

When you first register for rehousing, the landlords work out the size of the home you’re entitled to, based on how many people will be moving with you, and their relationships to each other. To find out more, contact the Manchester Housing Register landlord handling your application.

We do not have the resources to reply to every bid. The relevant landlord writes to the successful bidder to offer them a home. If that’s you, expect your letter within seven to ten days from the end of the bidding period (or within ten days of you bidding if it’s a ‘First-come-first-served’ property). If you don’t hear within that time, please assume your bid has been unsuccessful. If you are logged in to Homefinder you can check where your bids are up to.

If you are registered for rehousing, see your chances of getting a home.
Or contact the Manchester Housing Register landlord handling your application. Or see who was offered previously advertised homes to get an idea of how Priority homes are offered in the area(s) you’re interested in. If you are logged-in you can check your rehousing status with each landlord, and compare it to who was offered previously advertised homes in the areas you want.

This can be because your partner or family may not follow you. But if they do arrive in the UK, contact the Manchester Housing Register landlord handling your application. If you can provide official documents, they will add your partner or family to your rehousing application. This could make you eligible for a larger property.

A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVED property can be offered to a bidder at any time, but Priority Homes are only offered at the end of the advertised bidding week. As long as you apply for a Priority home before the bidding period closes you will be in with a chance of getting it. The successful bidder should hear within ten days of bidding for a First-Come-First-Served property, and within ten days of the end of the bidding period for a Priorty home.

Homefinder works like an agency – advertising homes to find potential tenants for landlords The landlords decide which homes in which areas they want to advertise. Not all properties are advertised by Homefinder. As long as you have told the landlord handling your application the areas you want, you will still be considered. To find out why the a landlord rarely advertises in certain areas, contact the relevant Manchester Housing Register landlord

It depends on the landlord that offers the home. Each landlord has its own rehousing rules. Most homes are advertised using Manchester City Council’s rehousing rules. These say that you could have your rehousing priority reduced if you unreasonably turn down three offers of homes you have bid for. So only apply for properties you are really interested in, in an area you want. You should look at the street or block before you bid if you can.

When you fill in a rehousing application form, you list the areas you’re interested in. But there is nothing to stop you bidding for homes in other areas (perhaps you have decided to widen your options). If this bid was successful, you would be offered a home that is not in your original list of areas.

See previously advertised homes to find out how many people bid for Priority homes. We do not keep records of all the bids for a First-Come-First-Served home – the property is offered to the first eligible person that applies, so the number of bidders is irrelevant.

The landlord must make sure that they use housing in the best way – that means matching available homes to appropriate households. Some blocks are reserved for older people for instance. Introducing younger tenants – with different lifestyles – may upset the balance of the community. The age restrictions are set by the landlord, not Homefinder. To find out more, contact the relevant Manchester Housing Register landlord.

When you first register for rehousing, the landlords work out the size of the home you’re entitled to, based on how many people will be moving with you, and their relationships to each other. If you are waiting for a home with four or more bedrooms, it’s because that is the size of home that matches your household. A landlord can’t then offer you a smaller home as it means you would be overcrowded – there would be too many people in a bedroom for instance.

But if its possible that you could go for a ‘parlour type’ property (this has three bedrooms upstairs, and two living rooms downstairs) – if you are prepared to use one of the two living rooms as a bedroom.

If you want to change your original rehousing application to specifically say you would accept a home like this, contact the Manchester Housing Register landlord handling your application.

Homefinder works like an agency. We advertise homes to find potential tenants for landlords. But it’s the landlord, not Homefinder, that handles your application. The landlord may need to do follow-up checks on your references, or may be waitingfor some information from other agencies. If you are having any problems with your application contact the Manchester Housing Register landlord  handling your application.

If you haven’t got the internet at home, you can use it for free at:

• any Manchester library
• The Council’s  Customer Service Centre, One First Street, off  Whitworth Street
  Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm

Or go to any of these local housing offices run by not-for-profit landlords in Manchester. Some offer personal help with looking for homes and bidding for homes. You don’t need to be a tenant of the landlord to use Homefinder at their offices.

If you need a printed list for a friend or relative who can't get to a computer with internet access, a new list is available on Thursdays from:

• Manchester town hall
• any Manchester library
• the Councils Customer Service Centre, One First Street, off Whitworth Street
• One of these advice agencies or not-for-profit landlords