How We Let Our Homes

We make around 120 new lettings a year and we fill these vacancies from a variety of sources:

1. Local authority nominations
   We receive nominations directly from the council’s housing register. This accounts for 50% of new lettings.
2. Internal transfers
   These will either be from our management transfer list or from our date-of-entry transfer list. Internal transfers account for 22% of new lettings.
3. Direct applicants for sheltered housing
   We have open waiting lists for our sheltered housing schemes in Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Redbridge and Camden. These account for 15% of new lettings.
4. Community letting scheme
   Household members of current tenants can apply to us for independent housing. The available accommodation is mainly for single people and is a small scheme which accounts for 5% of new lettings
5. Referral agencies
   IDS works with voluntary agencies working in the Jewish community and with several agencies working with women experiencing domestic violence. We take referrals on an ad hoc basis from these agencies and these account for 3% of new lettings.

IDS operates a choice-based lettings scheme and, with the exception of the management transfer list, all properties are offered via this system. This means that if you are near the top of the waiting list that a property has been allocated to you will be invited to ‘bid’ for it.

It means that we no longer consider people unless they tell us they are interested in a property. When a property becomes available we ask you to let us know if you are interested in being considered for it. This saves everybody time by not contacting people who, for whatever reason, do not wish to be considered for a particular vacancy.

No!  It is just the term that we use for people letting us know they are interested and would like to be considered for a vacancy. Bidding does not involve any cost. The ‘winning bidder’ will be the person that is highest on the waiting list from those that respond.

When you are close to the top of a waiting list you will receive details of any available property and an invitation to bid in the post. If you would like us to consider you for this property you can bid by post, telephone or e-mail.

AM I ELIGIBLE FOR HOUSING WITH IDS?

Local authority applicants

IDS operates in six different local authority areas and all of these areas operate choice-based lettings schemes. If you are registered on a local authority housing register you will be able to bid for any IDS property that is advertised that you are eligible for but it will be the local authority that prioritises offers via this route, not IDS. IDS does not maintain a waiting list for local authority applicants.

Transfers

If you are already an IDS tenant you can apply for transfer to another IDS property. You will find more detailed information on transfers under ‘Transfers & Exchanges’.

If you are 60+ you may be eligible for our sheltered housing. We have sheltered housing schemes in Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Camden and Redbridge. The schemes in Camden and Redbridge are specialist schemes for Jewish people, but the schemes in Hackney and Tower Hamlets are open to all persons over 60.
You can request an application pack by telephoning the allocations office on 020 8800 9606.

Our sheltered waiting lists are maintained on a date-of-entry basis but there are variations between boroughs on how applicants are prioritised which are detailed in the application packs.

This scheme is designed for people who currently live with an IDS tenant. You must be an authorised household member but you do not need to be a child of the tenant. This scheme is not designed to provide emergency housing. It CANNOT GUARANTEE an offer of accommodation. It is a voluntary scheme, there is no obligation on IDS to make offers, other than in accordance with its equal opportunities policy.