Once the bidding cycle has closed (Midnight on a Sunday) a list (known as a shortlist) of applicants who have placed a bid is generated. The shortlist is prioritised by band (Band 1 being the highest) and earliest priority date and then earliest registration date.
The applicant at the top of the list and who meets all of the advert and preference criteria and who is therefore at the top of the shortlist will normally be nominated to the Registered Provider or selected by Winchester City Councils Landlord Services. This means that even if you are in queue position one you may not necessarily be successful for the property if you do not meet all of the advert criteria or you are no longer eligible or you no longer qualify.
If you bid on a property advertised as giving priority to applicants with a local connection to a specific area and you do not have a qualifying local connection to that area you will be skipped.
The landlord of the property will carry out their own eligibility checks for example; if you have any rent arrears or if there has been any anti-social behaviour and your ability to afford the rent. It remains the decision of the Registered Provider (Landlord) or Winchester Landlord Services, whether to accept you for a property in accordance with its own Lettings Policy.
If the landlord is unable to offer the property to the person at the top of the shortlist they will consider the next person on the shortlist who meets the advert criteria.
If you decide to refuse a property it will be offered to the next person on the shortlist who meets the advert criteria.
Once you are match suggested to a property you will not be considered for other properties until you have decided to either accept or refuse the property you have been match suggested to.
You will not normally be penalised for refusing your first property and you will continue to be able to bid for properties advertised. If you refuse two properties within a six month period your application will be suspended for six months from the date of the second refusal.