Channel surfing while watching TV is set to take on a new meaning for Kensington and Chelsea Council tenants as they can now use their digital TV channels to search for a new home. People on the Council’s Housing Register can use the digital TV channel, DigiTV, to see what housing is on offer and make their bids for properties.

At present, customers can bid for housing via the Home Connections website, by calling the contact centre and asking for a bid to be placed, by using the automated telephone system or by using SMS texting. Customers can also arrange for the Home Connections system to place bids for them automatically.

DigiTV has been introduced to make sure that people without web access can still place their bids online – using their TV. They just need their TV to be connected to a working telephone line and be customers of Sky or Virgin Media digital TV.

Councillor Fiona Buxton, Cabinet Member for Housing Services, said: “There is very high demand for housing and we want to ensure that residents are able to keep up to date with information about housing that is on offer as it becomes available. Some people do not have broadband web access, but if they have a Digital TV subscription they can look at the Home Connections service, see what is on offer and make a bid for a property there and then via their TV set.”

Home Connections is the service provider for the Council’s Choice Based Lettings (CBL) scheme. Properties are advertised weekly and are allotted a minimum points level. When a property becomes available, applicants on the Council’s Housing Register can bid for the property as long as they have the minimum number of points required.

Home Connections has also launched its DigiTV service plug-in for the Enhanced Housing Options trailblazer the London Borough of Islington.