What's the Council housing waiting list like in your area?

[MsHopey]

Posting here for traffic.
But I've been reading a lot of different posts on different sites about council housing in people's own areas, and the waiting times are staggering.

In the borough I live in you have to prove you have worked or lived in the borough for 2 years continually before they allow you to join the waiting list.
Houses will normally go to bands 1, 2 or 3. Flats, maisonettes, bedsits of any size rarely even get one bid on them at all. Houses get anywhere from 30 to 110 bids.
There are 7 bands organised through priority. But bands 4 do also regularly get houses.
Bands 1, 2 or 3 can and do get houses within weeks of joining the waiting list.
I live in the Midlands and in a medium town rather than a large city.

I've heard of needing to be in a borough for 10 years before being allowed on a waiting list, I've heard of waiting lists being an estimate of 87 years long.

I'm essentially just really curious what others peoples local areas are like.
I know social housing gets both envied and condemned on here for various reasons, this isn't something I want to happen on this post. I was just wondering about people's experiences.

Around 15,000 on the list in my London borough according to a local newspaper article I just read. Many families on the waiting list have given up and accepted properties in other parts of the country.

There are dozens of new developments across the borough but they usually offer a tiny number of units at 'affordable' rent.

I was born in this borough and virtually all of my childhood friends have had to leave in order to find affordable properties and raise their families. I was chatting to mum on the school run and she was amazed to discover I was originally from the area as most people in the now gentrified area around DD's school seem to have moved here from elsewhere. She said jokingly "you must hate all of us who've come here and changed the area so much" and I smiled and said of course not. Deep down I do a bit though.

I'm in West Yorkshire. There are 24000 people on waiting list so a long wait.
You have to but on up to 3 properties a week but quite often they don't have 3 properties available!
I've just been downsized after bidding for nearly 5 years since ds left home.

Like I said the thing with rural is that you can’t compare it to living in London.

The house I bid on is £800pm no shops 1 bus route and no train station. A lot of people wouldn’t find this appealing even if they were desperate

Oh and you only get one choice. If you don't take what you are offered, you go to the bottom of the list for 12 months. So even if it's a hovel, you have to take it unless you are prepared to wait another year before being able to bid again

35 years

Hearing what it's like outside of London and the SE is mind blowing.

To me it's the other way round.
18 years on a waiting list is madness. Like people said, your kids have grown up and moved out before you get a house, and then back down the priority pole you slide.

45yrs predicted wait in my village. There is one council estate on edge. Most privaite owned now the rest are occupied by elderly people who have been there since they where built in the 70s. Imagine once they pass away there will be a new generation taking over.

I’m in south west and it’s hit and miss here. We’ve been waiting 9 yrs, we are overcrowded but suitable properties are few and far between. If I were to move us 20-30 miles away, we could of had one ages ago, but locally were I am there are very few 4 beds but I don’t want to move us that far away as children are settled in schools.

A few 4 beds have come up recently, but they’re all new builds and the rents are £800 a month so completely unaffordable for us as we don’t claim housing benefit. £800 is almost double what we pay now.

Hi I was just looking for everyone’s experiences with council housing. I live in a town in South Wales (not a big town it’s more of a big village) and I’m 16 years old with an 8 month old daughter. We live in my mothers 3 bedroom house and share a bedroom, but it’s leaving my mother sharing a bedroom with her 2 other children. And then 2 other children in the 3rd bedroom. I was just wondering how long I’d likely be waiting for a house. Thanks in advance xx

@charlmorgan9 This thread is three years old. You would be better starting your own thread.

And start it in chat rather than Aibu.

@charlmorgan9 It would really be best to contact your council or local housing authority directly, it's almost impossible to tell how long you might be waiting as it's very dependent on area and housing needs. Also, being 16 may effect it as I know some authorities or housing associations cannot enter into a tenancy agreement with under 18s. But you are definitely overcrowded living with your mum and that would help your application.

Last I heard, ours was 7 years long. I'm in Scotland. In an area that is very fast growing.

@maddiemookins16mum

God help any single ‘older’ man (or woman) with no kids. They are likely to be never housed.

Domestic violence serious violence. London council don't even want to let you on the register to even try for safe home and they tell you to find private rent. Can't do as disability benefits and no landlord wants you so trapped. Was in refuge and left cos of people hating Londoners and was going to be housed by a housing association but they changed their minds and told me to go to the council and council don't help. Council know even serious violence maybe won't go as far as murder just injury or mental health affect and hope you just kill yourself or get abused but not killed or homeless or suicide so they get away with it. Councils just tell you to call police but can't cos then end up homeless.