This is what you have to do to get a council house in Bristol (2024)

In Bristol there are more than 13,000 families waiting to get a house, all of whom are warned that even those with the "greatest need" can be on the waiting list for several years.

This means that local authorities have to work out who most urgently needs a home and what kind of home is most suitable.

The way in which council and housing association properties are allocated can be confusing and is often misunderstood.

We have therefore put together some straightforward information about how toget a council house in Bristol - and who gets to be at the front of the queue.

HomeChoice Bristol is the name of the scheme used by Bristol City Council and its partner Housing Associations to allocate properties within the city.

Properties are advertised and people on the housing register who qualify can express an interest in the homes they want to be considered for.

A wide variety of factors decides who gets which kind of property and when.

Special considerations are made, such as for those with families or the elderly.

Here's everything you need to know about the process and who is a priority when applying for council housing.

Who can apply and what is considered?

In order to be accepted onto Home Choice Bristol you must be eligible for an allocation of social housing and qualify to be included.

You may not be eligible if you are subject to immigration control.

The following groups of people will not qualify and their application will be rejected:

• Applicants under 16 years of age at the date they apply

• Applicants not currently living in the Bristol city boundary or not having lived in the Bristol city boundary for at least two years at the date which they apply.

• Applicants earning over £40,000 per year

• Applicants with savings over £40,000

• Applicants who own their own home

• Prisoners still serving a sentence

• Applicants guilty of serious breaches of a current or previous tenancy

  See Also

  Council tax bandsPart 2: About social housingWhat are council tax bands? (and how to find out if you are on the right one)How long families are forced to wait for council housing in the West Midlands

• Applicants providing false or misleading information

• Applicants not currently living in the United kingdom

• Applicants who have been assessed but have subsequently not placed any bids

How do you apply for a council house and the information you need

You have to complete an application form online atthe Home Choice Bristol website.

To complete an online application you will need the following information:

• Dates of birth and National Insurance numbers of all household members to be rehoused
• Five-year address history (including landlord's details where relevant)
• Details of household member's health issues, including treatment, medication and support
• All income details, including employment, child benefit, pension and benefits income
• Details of any mortgage or rent arrears
• Details of all capital held, including bank accounts, savings and any land or property owned.

Once you have registered your household, completed and submitted yourapplication form, your application will be assessed and you will be told if you qualify to be included on HomeChoice Bristol.

Itis currently taking18-20 weeks to assess a newapplication and22-24 weeks to assess changes of circ*mstances on an application.

HomeChoice Bristol will contact you once your application has been assessed.

What are the bands and who gets priority?

Those who manage to get on the housing register after their application has been accepted are put into four bands, when they can start bidding for properties.

Band One

The highest band and most urgent need. The average wait on Band One is around six months.

Those who get on this band include someone with a serious health problem directly linked to their current housing or if you are in hospital and cannot return to your home as it no longer meets your needs. Those who are about three bedrooms short are also put in Band One.

Band Two

The average waiting time is more than 13 months on Band Two. Those in this band are homeless with a local connection, which means the council has a duty to home them.

People who qualify are also those who are living in a really bad property at the moment, or if you are a young person leaving care in Bristol.

Band Three

Applicants in this band are warned they stand “little chance of being rehoused” through the Housing Register. The current wait time is about 21 months.

People who end up in this band are homeless but do not have a local connection. If you are in an area and need to move to “avoid hardship” you are also in this band.

Band Four

Those in this band did not qualify for either of the three bands above. Very unlikely to get rehomed through the register.

How to bid for properties and what can affect your chances

When your application has been assessed and placed into aband, youcan start bidding for properties.

You'll need your reference number and your memorable date to start bidding.

Properties are advertised weekly. You can put a bid on up to three properties each week.

There are three ways to bid for property:

• Online using the HomeChoice Bristol website

• By phone (the line is open 24 hours a day) on 0845 270 1382

• At a Citizen Service Point

Properties that are available to bid on are advertised on a weekly cyclestarting from midnight on Tuesday morning and ending the following Sunday at 11:59pm.

Each property listing contains a set of symbols which will tell you more about the property.

You should always try to bid on properties that you stand the best chance of being offered. This means that you shouldn't bid for properties that have been advertised as giving priority tohouseholds with specific needs, if you or a member of your household do not have that need.

It is very important that you read the marketing text on the advert, as this will tell you if certain groups of people are being prioritised for the property.

When you've found a property you want to bid for click 'Apply now' and continue until you've confirmed your bid.

What happens when you bid for a property and what happens if you're successful

When you place a bid you are put on a shortlist for the property. Your position on the list depends onthe band you are in and thedate you were assessed into the band.

All bids on a property are automatically put in priority order (based on band andeffective date) on the property shortlist. Once theadvertising cycle has closed, the landlord will review the shortlist.

Applicants at the top of this shortlist will normally be offered the property and will be given a chance to view it.

However, if the property has been adapted for people with disabilities, the landlord will try to allocate it to the person who it will benefit the most. This may not be the person at the top of the list.

If you have been overlooked (skipped)for a property, the landlord will have stated the reason for this, which you will be able to see when you log into your account.

Some of the properties listed on the site are under direct offer. A direct offer is where the landlord has offered the property directly to the applicant without having to go through the bidding process. Properties under direct offer are not available to applicants.

If you are offered a property, the landlord will ask you to provide certain documents and information so that they can verify your circ*mstances. The landlord will expect you to provide the information within the deadline they have given. If you cannot provide the information within that time, you must contact the landlord and explain this to them.

The documents you will be expected to provide will include the following:

• Proof of identification for the main and joint applicant and all household members
• Proof of address for the main and joint applicant and all household members
• Proof of pregnancy (if applicable)
• Most landlords will also ask for proof of income

Once you have been offered the property, you will be invited to view it and then given a date to sign the tenancy agreement.

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