Lettings

We help people move into safe, affordable homes that support them to live well. Our homes meet people’s needs and grow with them over time to make sure everyone in the household can thrive.

We assign homes quickly, fairly and transparently so the home you’re allocated fits your unique situation and personal needs. This means you can move into your new home as quickly as possible.

How we allocate our homes

We allocate our homes in a number of ways, depending on your personal circumstances. Find out more about the different ways we make our homes available to you below:

Choice-based Letting

We advertise all our available homes on Property Pool Plus, which is the system that all Knowsley homes are advertised on. Please note that the system used to advertise homes changes depending on where it is and which borough it’s in.

Through using Property Pool Plus, you can browse, bid on (or register an expression of interest) for any home that meets your needs. This gives you complete control and flexibility over where you live and the type of home you move to.

If your bid is successful, we’ll contact you within five working days to talk you through the next steps and get the moving process started.

For more information about the websites used to advertise homes in different boroughs, please see the Important information section below.

Open Market

A small number of our homes are advertised on Moving Soon which gives you the chance to directly apply for homes that suit your personal wants and needs.

If your application is successful, we’ll contact you within five working days to talk you through next steps.

When you’re shortlisted for a home

We will:

Contact you within five working days of the advert closing to let you know you’ve been shortlisted and to arrange a guided viewing of the home
Talk you through the lettings process and answer any questions you may have
Provide a link to the better off calculator
Explain anything important about the home or area so you’re fully informed about anything that could affect your application including property features, local amenities, access, parking and adaptations
Discuss any support, adaptations or reasonable adjustments you may need
Explain the upfront rent payments needed to progress your application

Home viewings

We will:

Contact you to arrange a viewing appointment at a time that suits you
Offer you a viewing between 9.00 am – 5.00 pm Monday – Friday or 9.00 am – 12.00 pm Saturday

What to expect at your viewing

To make sure you have all the information you need, at a viewing we will:

Guide you through the home and give you the chance to ask any questions you may have
Provide information on what’s included and what’s not so if you decide to move in, there’s no surprises. This means we’ll highlight any fixtures, fittings and/or white goods that will come with the home

To make sure you get the most from your viewing, you’re welcome to:

Bring a friend, family member or support worker with you
Take measurements, videos and photos so you can refer to them after your viewing and use them to help make your decision

Your move, your choice

A viewing is your chance to see the home you’ve applied for, and you’re not committing to anything by attending. Please remember that:

A viewing is offered after you’ve been shortlisted for a home and you’re not obligated to take the home you’re viewing
You can decline the home after the viewing if it’s not right for you and you feel it doesn’t meet your needs – just let us know!
Make sure you get to know the area you want to move to before bidding on a home. This will help you understand if it’s right for you and close enough to the amenities and services you and your household need, such as schools
Please be aware that if you’re homeless and refuse a home that you’re offered, it may affect your banding with your Local Authority and affect your ability to find somewhere to live

If you want to move forward after your viewing

If you decide you’d like to move into the home after your viewing, we will:

Send all the paperwork you need, including your tenancy agreement, customer handbook, energy performance and compliance certificates
Meet you at your new home to give you the keys and talk you through everything you need to know such as your tenancy type, rent, service charges and rights and responsibilities as a Livv customer
Agree how and when you’ll pay your rent and discuss all options available to you
Support you with any housing cost claims if you receive Universal Credit or Housing Benefit

Moving into your new home

To make sure your move goes smoothly, we will:

Meet you at your new home to give you your keys and any fobs you may need. We’ll also show you how to access any communal areas in your building
Take opening gas and electricity meter readings and show you where the meters are in your home. OVO Energy will supply your utilities and if you have a prepaid meter in your home, it’ll have £5 credit on it when you move in

After you move in, it’s important that you:

Take meter readings and contact utility providers to set up your gas, electricity and water accounts
Contact your local Council to make sure the Council Tax bill is in your name
Consider setting up contents insurance to protect your personal belongings and items. As your landlord, we insure the building you live in but not the things in your home and contents insurance could offer you protection against theft, damage and accidents
Make sure you can close all doors and windows and that they’re working properly. Call us immediately if you’re having issues with any doors or windows in your home
Check that the smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms are in place and working. If you have any problems with an alarm in your home, let us know straight away so we can fix it and make your home safe

The first weeks in your new home

Once you’re settled in your new home, we will:

Arrange a home visit around four weeks after you receive your keys to make sure you have everything you need and that you’re happy in your new home. Your Housing Advisor will get in touch to arrange this visit
Make sure you know how to use your heating, water, waste and recycling systems and answer any questions you may have. Your Housing Advisor will take you through this when they visit

Housing Management Transfer

If your health or safety is at risk and any urgent needs must be met, we can move you into another one of our homes without going through the bidding or nomination processes above. This process depends on an individual’s situation and will be offered if their needs can’t be met through Choice-based Lettings.

Mutual Exchange

Through Home Swapper, you can arrange to swap home with another social housing customer, whether they’re with Livv or a different landlord entirely.

Mutual Exchange is a great way to move into a home that better suits your needs and can help you find a home that’s a different size, type or even in a different location.

If you make a Mutual Exchange application, we’ll review it and update you on our decision within 42 days.

Rightsizing

If you feel that your home isn’t right for you and doesn’t meet the needs of your household, we can help you downsize and find a smaller home. If you’d like to talk to us about Rightsizing, contact us now.

Need to know

Before you get the keys to your new home, we set up your gas and electricity supply with OVO Energy and let your water supplier and local Council know when you’re moving in.

If you’re moving home by Housing Management Transfer or Mutual Exchange, you’ll need to do this yourself and let your utility suppliers and local Council that you’ve moved. You should also consider sorting out contents insurance to protect all the belongings in your home.

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