To apply for a council home in York you need to join the York-only Housing Register. You need to meet certain criteria to be eligible to join the Housing Register.
Before you apply for a council house, check:
- if you're eligible to apply for a council home in York
- the type of council properties available
You can find full details of how we shortlist applicants in our current Housing Allocations Policy, which came into effect on 4 April 2022. You can also request a copy of the full policy by contacting the Housing Registrations Team.
- Apply to join the York Housing Register
- Expressing an interest and bidding for properties
- How bids are rated
- Next steps for successful bidders
- Other ways to find housing
Apply to join the York Housing Register
Applications to be added to the Housing Register can be made through the Open Housing Portal:
For a home in other parts of North Yorkshire, apply via North Yorkshire Home Choice.
If your application for a home in York is successful, we will let you know and add you to our housing register, so we can:
- allocate you to a home we own
- nominate you for rented or low-cost ownership housing owned by housing associations
Expressing an interest and bidding for properties
Once an application has been processed, successful applicants will receive a letter confirming they have been accepted onto the Housing Register, and can bid for properties.
This letter will include details of the:
- assessed housing band
- number of bedrooms
- property type that the applicant can bid on
You will be advised of any area restrictions specific to their personal circumstances.
You will be able to bid on a maximum 3 properties each week. It's important that bids are made only on properties which match the assessed housing need.
For help on what homes to bid for, please contact the Housing Registrations Team.
How bids are rated
At the end of the advertising period and if there is more than 1 bid for a home, we apply tie-breaker criteria. They are:
- which applicant is in the highest application priority band; Emergency, Gold, Silver, Bronze
- time in application priority band
- consideration of any debt
In some cases, there may be restrictions on who can be allocated a property, using for example S106 planning requirement. However, these will be clearly displayed on the property advertisement.
Next steps for successful bidders
If your bid is successful, you will be invited to view the property.
If further verification confirms you are still eligible and qualify for the Housing Register, you will then be offered the property.
If you're offered suitable accommodation and you refuse it, your application may be cancelled and you may be removed from the register if you've already declined another offer.
Other ways to find housing
You may be able to get the home you want, in the area you want, when you want, from a private landlord or letting agent, for more information see: