How to bid and manage your account

We've introduced a new way for you to look for a Sanctuary home online. You should find everything you need to know in the frequently asked questions below.

What is Choice Based Lettings?

From 27 January 2026, Sanctuary will allocate most of the homes we have available to rent through a Choice Based Lettings (CBL) scheme. The scheme enables you to choose the homes that interest you, instead of Sanctuary deciding what property to offer you.

CBL allows you to choose where you would like to live. Every available home of ours is advertised here on the website. You can ‘bid’ on (express an interest in) any home you are eligible for.

Every home is advertised for at least one full week and the end date is displayed on the advert. All bids are shortlisted at the end of an advertising cycle in line with our Allocations Policy & Procedures.

What is a ‘bid’?

When you place a ‘bid’ you’re simply expressing an interest in a property. You make no financial commitment when you place a bid.

You can view every home we have available on the website by clicking on the ‘PROPERTIES’ button on the home page. However, you need to join the Housing Register and have an ‘active’ housing application on your account for you to bid on any homes you like. This also applies to current Sanctuary resident looking to transfer.

How we prioritise applicants

A home will be offered to applicants in Band A from their date of banding. If there are no Band A applicants, we’ll move to those in Band B, and so on.

How will I know if my account is active?

We will let you know when your submitted housing application is active, your allocated housing need band, and the size of property you are eligible for.

How do I place a bid?

When you log in to your account your dashboard will show the homes you are eligible to bid on, any open bids you have placed, and any unread messages or actions.

Click on the ‘suitable properties’ button to see adverts for the homes you can bid for. Click anywhere on the advert to view the full details.

You will be asked to confirm your bid. When you do this the system will confirm your bid has been placed successfully.

*There is an option for you to mark a property as your ‘preferred property’ so that in the situation where you are the top bidder on more than one property, you will be considered for your preferred home.

How many properties can I bid for?

You can bid for three homes at any one time. You will still be able to bid on homes until you have been offered and accepted a home.

Does it matter when I bid?

No. You can bid at any time during each bidding cycle. The point in time in the cycle you submit your bid doesn’t affect the shortlisting outcome. Bids won’t be accepted after the bidding cycle has closed. The date and time the bidding cycle ends is shown on the advert.

What if I log in to my account and there are no properties showing for me to bid on?

This means we don’t have any homes that meet your needs available at this time. We add new properties Monday – Friday so it’s worth checking regularly. Alternatively, register for our weekly property alerts email to make sure you don’t miss out. Click here to find out how.

How can I see all properties available, not just those that I am eligible to bid on?

The system only displays the homes you qualify for. To see every home click on ‘show filters’ to open the search function:

You can then refine your search to ‘All properties’. Click  APPLY FILTERS  to show every home we have available. However, you can only bid on the homes that show a place bid button.

I want to place a bid but can’t see the ‘apply’ button on the advert

The apply button does not show if you don’t qualify for the home. The reason you are not eligible will show if you hover over the button on the advert.

Can I change my mind once I have placed a bid?

Yes. You can withdraw your bid by clicking on ‘my bids’ and selecting WITHDRAW on the property advert:

You will be asked to confirm that you wish to withdraw your bid. The system will then tell you that your bid has been withdrawn successfully. *Once the bidding cycle has closed, your final bid position will be recorded and you will not be able to withdraw your bid.

What determines my position in a bid queue?

Sanctuary uses a Banding system to assess a person's level of housing need. You will have been told your housing need Band when you completed your housing registration. This Band reflects how urgently you need to move and is used with other factors to determine your position on a shortlist.

What happens at the end of the bidding cycle?

We check that the person with the highest priority on the shortlist is eligible for the home. We also check your circumstances haven’t changed and that you are in the correct band. If the highest bidder is not be eligible for the property we move onto the next person on the list, and so on.

How will I know if I’ve been successful with my bid?

Not everyone on a shortlist is invited to view the property. We will contact the person at the top of the shortlist first and work through the list in priority order. If someone above you on the shortlist wants the home, you may not be contacted.

If we invite you to view a property it’s important you do so within the time offered to you. If you don’t it will be counted as a refusal. We will contact you by phone and/or email, so keep an eye out for our messages. Where we feel multiple viewing arrangements are appropriate, applicants will be notified of their place on the shortlist.

If the bid you place on a property is not successful, we won’t contact you.  You will be able to view your final queue position on the My Bids page of your account.

A home I bid on is no longer available, why?

Sometimes, a home we advertise is withdrawn during a bidding cycle. The property might be needed for an emergency management letting or the resident may have withdrawn their notice. Applicants who have already placed bids will be advised.

How will I find out about which homes have been let?

The results of each bidding cycle are published on the website, so you can see the banding and waiting time of the successful applicant. This information can give you an indication of how long you may have to wait for a particular locality/home type.

Offers of Accommodation

We will invite you to view the home and carry out a pre-tenancy interview before we offer a tenancy. We will also check for evidence of debt related to a tenancy, evidence of antisocial behaviour, or any other breach of tenancy.

A provisional offer will be made verbally in the first instance, then in writing. The written offer will contain details of the rent payable and other important information.

If you don’t respond to a provisional offer within 48 hours (unless previously agreed), then this will qualify as a refusal. The next person in line for the property will be considered for the vacancy. (waiting on a response for this as not sure for Sanctuary it is 24 hrs)

Can I refuse an offer of a property that I have placed a bid on?

Sanctuary restricts the number of homes an applicant can reasonably refuse before they lose their priority banding or they are removed from the housing register. We do this to prevent inappropriate or speculative bids which affect other applicants and extend the time a property is empty.

When an applicant refuses a property, we record it on our system as a ‘reasonable’ or ‘unreasonable’ refusal. We only accept two unreasonable refusals. A third unreasonable refusal may see your application cancelled and  you being prevented from reapplying to join the housing list for 12 months unless there is a significant change in your circumstances. If a home meets your size requirements, any medical requirements (as assessed by an Occupational Therapist) and is within your chosen areas the offer will be classed as reasonable. Refusing such an offer or not responding to an offer will be classed as unreasonable. This is subject to the Lettings Managers discretion. Applicants who disagree with our decision can ask for a review, with the property held pending the outcome of the review.

What if I have further questions?

Check out the other information pages on this site or visit the links at the top of this page. If you still can't find what you're looking for, you can get in touch with us directly from your My Account section. It couldn't be easier – simply log in, go to 'Actions' and click 'Send us a message'.