Waiting times and other ways to find a home

Find out more about lettings and waiting times, and get advice about other housing options available to you.

Click on the links below to jump to a specific section: 

1. How long will I wait on the housing register?
2. What's the best way to make the most of the housing register?
3. What are my other options?

How long will I wait on the housing register?

It’s important to be aware that the Council’s housing register is not a quick route to a new home. There is extremely high demand for social housing, and you won’t be offered a home straight away. It can take a very long time to be rehoused through the Council’s register and some people will not be rehoused at all.

The housing register is not an option for immediate rehousing, and if you need to move quickly you will probably need to find housing via another route. See our ‘What are my other housing options’ section.

Waiting times depend on many things, like what band your application is in, how often you are bidding, the type/size of home you need (some are rarer than others), the areas you want to move to, and general availability of homes, as well as the number of other people bidding for the same homes.  

After applying and being registered, applicants are placed in a band based on their need for housing, in line with our published Housing Allocations Policy. Those with the most priority need are placed in the highest band because they need to be housed more quickly. 

There are more than 6000 applications on the register at any one time, so lots of other people are also looking for homes and bidding. We let around 1200 homes a year, so there is not enough social housing for everyone who applies. 

We publish information about waiting times and number of lets twice a year. This will help you find out how long it might take, and better inform you when deciding the best way for you to find housing. 

Summary of current housing register at 1 October 2024

Breakdown of housing register by banding priority:

Band	Number of applicants
Band 1	1749
Band 2	2054
Band 3	2545
Total	6348

Breakdown of housing register by size of property needed:

Number of beds	Number of applicants
1 bed	1966
2 bed	2074
3 bed	1625
4 bed	545
5+ bed	138
Total	6348

Summary of recent lettings via the housing register

Number of properties let through HomeChoice during the 12-month period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024:

Number of properties	Total lets
Council properties	950 (83%)
Housing Association properties	188 (17%)
Total	1138

 

Breakdown of properties let by size, during the 12-month period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024: 

Number of beds	Total lets
1 bed	620
2 bed	276
3 bed	221
4 bed	18
5+ bed	3
Total	1138

Who gets social housing?

The data below applies to both council and housing association homes, for general needs (non-adapted) properties. 

• Total applicants on register on 1 October 2024: 6,348 

• Total lettings from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024: 1,138   

Number of beds/area	Average waiting times for property sizes/area
One bed**	7 months in Band 1  13 months in Band 2  8 months in Band 3
Two bed	16 months in Band 1  No data available as no lets in Band 2  No data available as no lets in Band 3
Three bed	20 months in Band 1  No data available as no lets in Band 2 No data available as no lets in Band 3
Four bed	Over 36 months in Band 1  No data available as no lets in Band 2 No data available as no lets in Band 3
Five or more beds	No data available as no lets in Band 1 No data available as no lets in Band 2 No data available as no lets in Band 3

*Based on most recent lettings figures, which are always subject to change. Waiting times will vary depending on your band, how regularly you are bidding, and which areas or type of properties you are bidding for.  

**Some 1 bedroom homes are ‘age-designated’ meaning that preference will be given to applicants by age

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What's the best way to make the most of the housing register?

To make the most of your bids: 

• Check the HomeChoice website and use your 3 bids every week (if suitable properties are available) 

• Consider all areas of the City, all property types you are eligible for, and housing association as well as council homes 

• Check your position for properties you bid for to give you an idea of where you are placing and your chances of being made an offer in the near future 

• Check your bids toward the end of the cycle and if you are far down on the list, try bidding for different homes which might have had less bids 

• Be realistic about your chances. If you are in a lower band, or aren’t seeing many homes to bid for, are finishing in low positions, or need to move quickly, you need to look for housing via other routes. 

Advice on rehousing 

• Follow the general advice above about making the most of your bids to maximise your chances 

• If you need a 1 bed property, some property types have a longer wait than others. 
  • If you are a single person bid for bedsits as well as flats
  • If over 40 single/couple bid for 1 bed bungalows also 
  • If over 50 bid for sheltered accommodation which is often lower demand with shorter waiting times. 

• If you are in Band 2 or 3 with higher waiting times make sure you are considering other housing options as well

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What are my other options?

We understand that it’s disappointing to have to wait so long on the housing register, or to be told it’s unlikely you will be offered a home this way. Remember that the Council’s housing register is only one of the housing routes available, and you will need to look for other ways to find a home, as well.   

If you are looking for a home, there are different options for you to explore.