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SEARCH Moves
Spelthorne
Elmbridge
And
Runnymede
Choice
Home Moves 		                                 SEARCH - Choice Based Lettings

SEARCH Moves is a scheme we offer to help prioritise cases on the Housing Register.  We work together with Runnymede Borough Council (external website), Elmbridge Borough Council (external website), A2Dominion Housing Group (external website) and Elmbridge Housing Trust (external website) to offer a fairer way of letting homes.

The scheme allows eligible applicants on the housing register to 'bid' (express an interest) for vacant social housing properties within the Spelthorne, Elmbridge and Runnymede areas. For Elmbridge and Runnymede you will need to demonstrate a local connection.  

To find out if you have been nominated for your chosen property visit the SEARCH Moves website (external website). The properties will also be advertised in a printed freesheet.

When you join our Housing Register your housing circumstances will be assessed and you will be placed in to a band based on your housing need. There are five bands ranging from A - E with A being the highest priority.

Banding

The bands below explain what criteria is needed to be in that category. Applicants that fall into bands A, B, C or E but do not have a local connection with Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede will be placed in Band D.

The Choice Based Lettings bands are as follows:
Band A emergency/priority need
Band B urgent need to move
Band C identified housing need
Band D housing need but no local connection
Band E low housing need

Local connection

You need to:

  • have lived in Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede for at least six out of the last 12 months, three out of the last five years or five out of the last 10;
  • have immediate family (mother/father/brother/sister/son/daughter) who are currently living in Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede for at least five years;
  • have a permanent job in Spelthorne, Elmbridge or Runnymede.
You must provide sufficient evidence before a local connection can be considered and you will only be eligible for properties in the boroughs where this has been established.

How to bid

You can bid by text, telephone, online or coupon.  Visit how to bid (external website) for further information. Please contact the Housing Options Team if you need help placing a bid or advice about the process.

The properties will be listed under each local authority's name and will outline who can bid for the property (external website), the number of bedrooms, any age restrictions, the number of people who can live in the property and if the property is adapted and suitable for applicants with mobility concerns etc.  A key to the symbols used in each property advert is available (external website).

When you bid for a property this is an expression of interest and it does not involve money changing hands. Properties will be advertised fortnightly and bids must be placed before 12 noon on the closing date. Any bids placed after this time will not be considered.

Feedback

After bidding has closed all applicants that have made a bid on a property will be reviewed in order of their housing priority banding and, if successful, will be contacted by the landlord to view the property. To find out how many bids were made against each property and information about the successful applicant a feedback report (external website) is provided.

User guide

All applicants on our Housing Register will be issued a SEARCH Moves User Guide (Pdf 1.7mb) which will help you use the scheme.