Who does what?

Getting social housing can involve several different organisations, and it’s completely normal to feel unsure about who is responsible for what. Here’s a simple guide to help you understand everyone’s role:

• Wyre Forest District Council (us)
• The Wyre Forest Home Choice system
• Social landlords (registered providers)
• You

 

Each has their own responsibilities within the scheme.

 

Wyre Forest District Council (us)

We’re responsible for:

• Registering your application and assessing your banding.
• Checking and approving the property adverts that appear on the system.
• Reviewing any information you upload or changes you make to your account.

 

We do not own or manage any social housing. Our housing stock was sold in 2000 to The Community Housing Group, which is one of several social landlords now operating in the area. We therefore cannot offer or manage social tenancies ourselves.

 

The Wyre Forest Home Choice system

The system:

• Works out your position on each property shortlist based on your banding and your band effective date (the date your banding was awarded).
• Ensures higher bands appear above lower bands, and that people with the same band are ordered by the length of time they’ve been in that band.
• Automatically manages some processes, such as asking for information when you register and carrying out regular account reviews. You’ll be emailed when you need to log in and confirm details.

 

Neither the council nor landlords can alter your queue position.

 

Social landlords

Social landlords:

• Create and manage the property adverts you see on Wyre Forest Home Choice.
• Manage the properties when they become empty and look for a new person to move in
• Look after the tenancies they manage—this includes rent collection, repairs, and tenancy issues.
• Take the lead on neighbourhood issues or anti-social behaviour, often working with other agencies like the police. They may need evidence and support from residents to take action.

 

You

You are responsible for:

• Registering on the system.
• Providing accurate and up-to-date information.
• Bidding on properties (or enabling auto-bidding if you prefer).

 

If your account is not kept up to date, you may be skipped for properties.

 

How your shortlist position works

When you bid on a property, you’re placed in a shortlist. Your position depends on:

1. Your banding
2. Your band effective date

The system orders everyone automatically so that:

• Higher bandings appear higher in the list.
• If people are in the same band, the person who has been in that band the longest is placed higher.

Early bidders often appear near the top of the list at first simply because fewer people have bid. As more bids come in, your position may change to reflect the rules above. This is normal.

We understand it can feel disappointing when a property seems perfect for you, but we cannot manually adjust queue positions.

 

What happens if I’m at the top of a shortlist?

If you are placed first after the advert closes:

• The landlord who owns the property will carefully assess the shortlist.
• The timescale varies depending on the landlord’s workload and availability. We are not able to advise when a decision will be made.
• Landlords must consider the top applicant first.
• If you are suitable, they will “match” you to the property, and you’ll be skipped for other homes while this is being processed.This will appear as ‘Offer suggested’

We cannot ask landlords to prioritise one shortlist over another.

If you are not suitable, the landlord will record a skip reason on your account.

 

Why might I be skipped?

Only the landlord can decide to skip an applicant. Common reasons include:

• Former rent arrears or housing-related debt
• Issues from a previous tenancy
• Out-of-date information on your application
• Missing address history
• Your medical or mobility needs not being suitable for the property
• Missing details needed for a landlord reference
• Not meeting something listed in the advert criteria

While the council cannot compel a landlord to accept an applicant, we are happy to offer guidance on what steps or evidence may help you overcome these barriers.

We strongly encourage households with housing-related debt to contact landlords to  set up repayment plans and make regular payments. This helps demonstrate your ability to reduce the debt.

 

How long will it take to be rehoused?

It’s very difficult to predict how long it will take for any individual household.

Although average waiting times exist, many applicants wait much longer or are never rehoused, even with a high banding.

Your waiting time may increase significantly if:

• You only bid in certain areas
• You rarely place bids
• You have barriers to housing that haven’t been addressed
• You only bid on houses or bungalows and avoid flats

Social housing is limited, and applicants often need to make compromises about:

• How quickly they want to move
• Where they are willing to live
• What types of homes they will consider

If your needs are very specific, it may not be possible to rehouse you through social housing alone. We encourage all households to consider a wide range of options.

 

How many times should I bid each week?

You can place up to three bids per week.

• Only bid on homes you would genuinely accept.
• You won’t be penalised if you don’t bid every week or don’t use all three bids.
• Households with specific needs (e.g., adapted homes or larger homes) may not have properties available as frequently—this will not negatively affect your application.
• However, if you repeatedly avoid bidding due to preference alone, your banding may be reduced. We can offer advice on exploring other options.

Bidding on homes you do not want delays the process for other applicants.

 

How many properties can I refuse?

• If you are homeless, you are entitled to one suitable offer.
• If you are not homeless, your banding may be reduced if you unreasonably refuse offers. This includes declining at viewing stage or turning down a property when contacted.

A single refusal can be enough to reduce your banding, depending on the circumstances.

 

How do I apply for a higher banding?

You can request a banding review through your customer portal by selecting:

Actions → Apply for a Higher Banding

You can apply for reasons such as:

• Medical need
• Overcrowding
• Under-occupancy
• Moving on from supported accommodation
• Disrepair
• Harassment
• Other exceptional need

You’ll see guidance on what information is helpful to include.

We aim to respond within 28 days. If enough information isn’t provided, the action will be closed and you’ll be told what’s missing so you can reapply.

If the new application is not materially different from a previous one, it may be closed as a .

If you disagree with a decision, you can create an action to Appeal a banding decision.