Bidding for homes
Trafford Home Choice operates a choice-based lettings system. This means that eligible applicants must place bids on available homes that meet their assessed needs.
Homes are advertised weekly through the Trafford Home Choice website. Applicants can bid for up to the maximum number of properties allowed during each bidding cycle. Bids can only be placed on homes that match the household’s bedroom entitlement, property type, and any recorded restrictions or requirements.
Bidding does not guarantee an offer. Homes are usually shortlisted based on priority band, priority date, and eligibility for the specific property.
Some applicants may receive assisted bidding as a reasonable adjustment where they are unable to bid independently due to disability, health needs, or digital exclusion. Assisted bidding arrangements are agreed in advance and recorded on the housing register. This support may involve manual assistance from a Housing Options Service Trafford officer or the use of an automated bidding function. Applicants receiving assisted bidding remain subject to the same allocation rules and responsibilities as all other applicants.
When Autobid is enabled, the system automatically places bids on suitable properties on the applicant’s behalf, based on their assessed needs and recorded preferences. Applicants may not see or review each property before a bid is placed. Because bids may be placed automatically, applicants using Autobid may be subject to the one suitable offer rule.
When an applicant is shortlisted for a property, their details are nominated to the Registered Provider that owns or manages the home. The Registered Provider carries out pre-tenancy checks. This may include verifying household details, affordability checks, references, and arranging a viewing. Trafford Council does not own housing stock and cannot guarantee that a nomination will result in an offer. The final decision to make an offer rests with the Registered Provider, in line with their own policies and legal requirements.
If an applicant is made an offer of accommodation, they will be given reasonable time to consider it. Applicants are expected to accept suitable offers. A refusal may be considered unreasonable where the property meets the applicant’s assessed housing needs, bedroom entitlement, location criteria, and any recorded medical or welfare requirements. Unreasonable refusals result in removal from the Housing Register, in line with the Housing Allocations Policy.
There is a high demand for social and affordable rented housing in Trafford. For this reason, all applicants are normally entitled to one suitable offer of accommodation under the Housing Allocations Policy.
Applicants should think carefully about the type and location of properties they wish to be considered for before placing a bid. Bids should only be placed on homes that the applicant would be willing and able to move to if an offer is made.