Sign in to HomeHunt to find, apply and rent a home.
If you forget your HomeHunt password, enter your email address on forgot your password to reset it. If you do not have an email address, call us on 0191 525 5000.
You must register and fill in an application form so you can rent a home from us.
Before you register
Make sure you have your:
- address history for the last 5 years
- National Insurance number if you have one
Your National Insurance number is on benefit letters, payslips and P60s. It is formatted like ‘QQ123456C’.
You will also need details about:
- any housing and support needs
- your income and employment
- any savings and property equity
- your offending history and criminal convictions
- other people who will live with you, including their National Insurance numbers if they are 16 years old or older
Register for a HomeHunt account
Register for an account on HomeHunt.
Once you have an account, you must fill in a Gentoo application form.
The application form asks if you would like to register with a specific landlord. Select ‘Yes’ and ‘Gentoo’ so you can apply for our available properties.
It also asks you for your permanent address, this is where you are living now. If you leave this blank, it will ask for a correspondence address.
We use the information in your application form to put you in a priority band based on your housing needs. We may ask you for evidence to help put you in the correct band.
We automatically add you to priority band 3 so you can start bidding for a home as soon as possible. Once we have reviewed your application, we will send you a letter to tell you what priority band you are in. It will also be in your HomeHunt account.
If you cannot bid for a home, it may be because your application is not complete or some information needs updating.
The 4 priority bands
Band 1+ is for people who live in a Gentoo renewal area. This is where properties need major improvements.
Band 1 is for people who have a legal or urgent need of housing and need to move immediately.
Band 2 is for people who have a priority housing need.
Band 3 is for people who have general housing needs. This includes people who live outside of Sunderland.
If you disagree with your priority band
You have the right to request a review of your priority band. Use the get help with HomeHunt form to request a review of your priority band.
If you are a Gentoo tenant and you want to appeal, contact your Neighbourhood Co-ordinator.
If you live outside of Sunderland, contact your local council and they will be able to change your priority band.
You use HomeHunt to bid for a home.
We add homes to HomeHunt every Wednesday at 2pm. We list them on HomeHunt for 7 days, until 12 noon the following Wednesday.
You can bid for up to 5 homes every week.
Your local office can support you if you:
- do not have a computer or access to the internet
- have any questions about your priority band or landlord
- need help to fill in the online application form
If you need support or have any questions, you can:
Allocations Policy (PDF, 440 KB)
