THE way people apply for council houses in East Renfrewshire is set to change from next week.

East Renfrewshire Council is scrapping its current point-based list system and instead putting available homes online for people to bid on them.

As of Monday, February 25, the new system, Homeseeker, will be introduced, which the council claims will offer more choice for those waiting for housing.

Currently, houses are allocated using a points-based system, with those deemed most in need going to the top of the queue.

If you are an existing applicant, you must wait until your position on the waiting list triggers an offer for you on a specific home. 

With Homeseeker, the council will advertise all homes that are about to become vacant – along with new-build council homes when they are available – online each week. 

Those on the housing list, including existing tenants who want to move, will be invited to register an interest in or ‘bid’ for them.

The council will no longer be using points to assess a person’s need for housing. Instead, when someone wants to transfer to a different council home, their housing need will be assessed and they will be put into one of five priority groups. 

When available homes are advertised, it will be made clear which groups can bid for each of them. The successful bidder for each will be the bidder who has been on the list longest within the group. 

Councillor Danny Devlin, housing and maintenance services convener, said: “As a small council with a very limited supply of homes for rent, we had a real desire to improve the options for existing tenants and for those in housing need on our housing list. 

“Homeseeker will make the whole process simpler for residents as well as giving them more choice in the home they bid for and it will ensure that those most in need will have priority.”

The weekly homes list will also be available to view in council offices.