Is renting from a council or housing association right for me?

Renting a flat from a council or housing association (HA) in London won't be an option for most people. There are now large numbers of homeless people waiting for an offer of a home and they usually get housed first. Some London councils rarely let homes to anyone other than homeless people.

In London lots of people want to get a council or HA flat. Rents are usually much cheaper than those charged by private landlords and you can stay for as long as you want, as long as you pay your rent and meet the other conditions of your tenancy. You can expect to pay around £70 a week for a one bedroom flat in London depending on where it is.

But council or HA accommodation isn't always the best option for everyone. Flats don't usually come with furniture and you will have to find the money to buy this, which can be a wasted expense if you decide not to stay or get evicted (for instance for not paying your rent). So council or HA housing is best for those people who are clear about where they want to live and who intend to stay for at least a few years.

Even if you qualify for a flat you might have to wait 2 years or more before you get an offer. In general you are likely to be offered a bedsit if you are a single person, with very little hope of being able to transfer to a bigger flat in the future.

To find out more about whether you might qualify for council or HA housing and how to apply click on Routes into council or HA housing.

It can be much easier to get a council or HA flat in some areas outside of London (mainly the North and some parts of the Midlands). If you think you might be interested in a move outside of London click on Moving out of London.

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Click on these links to reach different parts of the website:
Private renting - Council or housing association - Buying your own home
Hostels - Jobs with accommodation - Moving out of London
What's right for me? - Help - Contacts & info - Go back to the start