We are often asked about the process that must be undertaken to secure a Freebridge property.

Below is a guide that will explain everything for you – but please do note that the number of people on the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s waiting list is currently far greater than the number of properties we have available.

One of the first things to understand is that the process of applying to be on the housing register, as well also the bidding and allocation process that follows, has nothing to do with Freebridge.

This is all facilitated by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk (BCKLWN), whose job is to decide which families/people are placed in our homes.

If you are successful in bidding and being allocated one of our properties, we then become your landlord and take over the process once you are in your new home.

As per the guidance on the BCKLWN website, you can apply to go on the housing register if you're over the age of 18 and:

Likewise, you may not be accepted onto the register if:

If you live outside of the borough, you may not be able to apply for a Freebridge house unless:

If you have reached this point and still feel you meet the criteria, you should visit the BCKLWN’s website and read their social housing allocations policy here before reading the next step.

If you don’t meet the criteria, private renting in the borough may be your best option.

If you are sure that you are eligible, you should feel free to fill in an application form online on the BCKLWN website – which should take between 30 minutes and an hour if you are well prepared.

Before you apply, you'll need to check you’ve got everything you need. As part of the application, you’ll be asked for:

You’ll also need to upload evidence that proves your circumstances, such as:

Once you have completed the application and provided all of the documents, BCKLWN say that it can take four to six weeks to hear from them.

If you are accepted, you will be put in one of three bands; low (adequately housed already), medium (e.g., you have been given medical priority to move) or high (e.g., you are homeless or your family is suffering from overcrowding at your current home).

You will also be given a reference number via email. This is very important, as you will need this to bid on available properties via Homechoice.

Homechoice is a clear way of registering an interest to rent a home from Housing Associations such as Freebridge.

It is available for people who are accepted onto the housing register and is designed to give applicants a choice of where they wish to live, but to make sure those in greatest need are given the greatest priority.

However, being accepted onto the register does not guarantee an offer of accommodation.

All Freebridge properties will be listed on the Homechoice site when they are available, and we will advertise them on our social media pages and website for your attention when they are available.

Please note, despite our role in the advertisement of these properties, we have no role in this part of the process. We will always advertise the properties but have no role in deciding which interested party has their bid accepted. Our role only begins once you have been accepted.

Properties are advertised weekly on a Wednesday and bids must be placed by noon on the following Monday. You can bid for available properties online, but your bid will not be considered if your circumstances do not match that given for the property.

If you have made a successful bid on one of our properties, we will contact you and you will need to let us know that you are happy to proceed. However, if you fail to respond to Freebridge’s contact it will likely be deemed that you are no longer interested, and your application will be cancelled.

For new Freebridge customers, we mainly offer fixed term tenancies. These are sometimes also provided for existing customers, for example, if existing customers move to a property with an affordable rent.