Waiting for an offer from the council? This page explains how offers are made and what you can do if you don't think the accommodation that the council is offering you is suitable.
How long will I have to wait?
Your chances of getting an offer and how quickly you might get one depend on:
- what is available in the areas you have asked to live in
- the type and size of property you need (many areas have very few family-sized houses available, for example)
- how many other households have higher priority (eg more points) than you. If you think your priority has not been assessed properly, a local adviser in your area may be able to help you. It may be possible to challenge the council's decision.
In some areas there is a lot of housing available and you may get an offer quite quickly. But in popular areas, you may have to wait for years. If you don't have much priority, you may have little realistic hope of being offered a place at all. You may need to look at other options, such as renting from a private landlord or applying as homeless, particularly if you need to move quickly.
You have the right to ask the council whether you are likely be offered a home and, if so, approximately how long it is likely to take. The council probably won't be able to tell you exactly how long it will take, but should give you a rough idea.
Will I get a choice?
All councils should either:
- allow you to bid for individual properties that you are interested in - this system is called choice-based lettings - or
- allow you to indicate where you would prefer to live (ie the location and type of housing you would prefer) when you apply. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you can choose the neighbourhood where you want to live. The council may divide its area in a way which does not match your preferences.
How many properties will I be able to consider?
The rules on this depend on whether your council runs a choice-based lettings scheme or not:
- If they do, ask how many properties you can bid for in one go - different councils have different rules about this.
- If they don't, you may only be given one offer of housing. When you make your application, ask how many offers you will get. Even if your council does have a policy of offering more than one property, you may have to refuse one before you are offered another - you are unlikely to be given a choice. You may also have to tell them why you're turning the property down, which may cause problems if they think you didn't have a good reason. Get advice and ask what their policy on refusals is before you decide.
What if the council offers me somewhere unsuitable?
Any housing the council offers you should be suitable for you and your household, as defined in their allocation scheme. The council should take a number of things into account when it decides what is suitable, such as:
- where the property is
- what condition it is in
- whether it is the right size for your household
- whether you will be able to afford it
- social factors (such as whether it is close enough to any support services or special schools that you need access to)
- whether it will affect your health (eg if you have difficulty getting up stairs)
- whether you'd be at risk of racial harassment or domestic abuse there.
The council should look at all of these issues and should consider the effect that moving to the accommodation would have on the health and welfare of your whole household. They should only offer you accommodation that they believe is suitable for you.
If you don't believe the offer is suitable, you may be able to challenge the decision. However, as there's so much demand for social housing, there's no guarantee that you'll be offered something better. An adviser may be able to help you prove that it is unsuitable, but this won't be easy. Think carefully and get advice before you turn anything down. Remember: you may only get one offer! If you turn an offer that was 'suitable' you may be suspended from the waiting list for a period of time.
