Autobid Areas

Autobid and Manual Bidding

Section 7.4 of the Keyways Housing Allocation Scheme outlines the process relating to autobid and manual bidding.

Most applicants are able to choose which properties they wish to bid for and are expected to place bids regularly on suitable accommodation. Where an applicant does not bid on appropriate properties for a continuous period of six months, the Council may review their priority banding or close their application. The Council also reserves the right to vary an applicant’s property size eligibility where necessary to reflect urgent housing needs or to assist in discharging homelessness duties.

In some cases, an applicant’s ability to bid may be removed and their application placed on automatic bidding (autobid) to ensure their housing need is resolved in a timely manner. Autobid means that the system will place bids on the applicant’s behalf for properties that offer the best prospect of a successful nomination, such as achieving the strongest queue position at the close of the bidding cycle. Autobids are submitted automatically at one minute past midnight at the end of each bidding cycle, after all manual bids have been placed.

To enable the autobid system to operate effectively, applicants may be required to provide additional information or evidence to ensure that bids are placed for suitable properties in terms of size, features, and location. Applicants who are not subject to autobid will continue to place bids themselves through their online account.

All applicants are entitled to place up to five bids during each bidding cycle. Any successful bid will be treated as a formal offer of accommodation, and the refusal sanctions set out in Section 7.9 will apply.

Whether an applicant is required to use autobidding or manual bidding is primarily determined by the relevant priority banding criteria, as detailed in Section 5.

Autobid areas for North Northamptonshire are divided as follows:

  • Corby
  • Kettering
  • East Northants North
  • East Northants South
  • Wellingborough

Click here to find all areas in each zone.

Click here for an interactive view of the autobid areas.