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:
- How long will I wait on the housing register?
- What's the best way to make the most of the housing register?
- 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 April 2024
Breakdown of housing register by banding priority:
Band | Number of applicants |
---|---|
Band 1 | 1570 |
Band 2 | 2126 |
Band 3 | 2986 |
Total |
6682 |
Breakdown of housing register by banding priority:
Number of beds | Number of applicants |
---|---|
1 bed |
2046 |
2 bed |
2172 |
3 bed |
1710 |
4 bed |
591 |
5+ bed |
163 |
Total |
6682 |
Summary of recent lettings via the housing register
Number of properties let through HomeChoice during the 12-month period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024:
Number of properties | Total lets |
---|---|
Council properties |
859 (79%) |
Housing Association properties |
233 (21%) |
Total |
1092 |
Breakdown of properties let by size, during the 12-month period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024:
Number of beds | Total lets |
---|---|
1 bed |
610 |
2 bed |
254 |
3 bed |
205 |
4 bed |
19 |
5+ bed |
4 |
Total |
1092 |
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 April 2024: 6,682
- Total lettings from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024: 1,092
Number of beds/area | Average waiting times for property sizes/area |
---|---|
One bed** | 6 months in Band 1 16 months in Band 2 24 months in Band 3 |
Two bed | 15 months in Band 1 Over 48 months in Band 2 Over 72 months in Band 3 |
Three bed | 19 months in Band 1 Over 48 months in Band 2 Over 72 months in Band 3 |
Four bed | Over 19 months in Band 1 Over 60 months in Band 2 Over 72 months in Band 3 |
Five or more beds | Over 24 months in Band 1 Over 60 months in Band 2 Over 72 months 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
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
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.
Private rented accommodation is usually the easiest, quickest and most convenient route for people to find a home. There’s lots of private lets in Leicester, and the benefits of renting privately include properties usually being available immediately, as well as giving you greater choice over where you live. Check local newspapers, letting agencies, and search online.
You can get more information at Looking to rent privately?
We may also be able to assist with securing accommodation in the private rented sector through one of our schemes. For more information visit Private sector schemes for people in housing need.
If you are worried about being able to afford the rent in a private tenancy, due to being on a low income, check out further information and advice about housing benefits and affordability.
Housing associations are independent, non-profit-making organisations that provide homes for people in need. Some Housing Associations advertise some or all of their properties through Leicester HomeChoice, but some keep their own lists. If they have open registers, you can check their criteria and apply to them directly. A list is available on our Housing associations page.
Whether you qualify to join our housing register or not, you may still qualify to join one of the housing association’s independent registers, as they each have their own policy criteria.
We may also be able to assist with securing accommodation in the private rented sector through one of our schemes. For more information visit Private sector schemes for people in housing need.
If you are worried about being able to afford the rent in a private tenancy, due to being on a low income, check out further information and advice about housing benefits and affordability.
If you are a council or housing association tenant, you could consider a mutual exchange (swap).
The idea behind HomeSwapper is simple. People can swap their homes and tenancies with each other. For example, someone living in a home that is too big for them can swap with someone living in a home that is too small for them. The result is that both people will have a home that is of the right size. This is called a ‘mutual exchange’.
Find out more by visiting homeswapper.co.uk.
If you are a social housing tenant, and you have more bedrooms than you need, you might qualify for help from the mutual exchange Easy Move scheme.
If you are interested to find out more, send us an email with your name, housing application reference number and contact details to [email protected].
We will then be in touch.
If you have a regular income and are interested in owning a home but do not have the money for a deposit, there are schemes that may be able to help. Search ‘shared ownership’ online or visit shared ownership schemes - GOV.UK.