Longest Birmingham council housing wait times revealed
The areas with the longest average wait times for Birmingham City Council's social housing has been revealed. Sixteen locations are listed as having the highest 'red' wait times in the city over the last year.
Acocks Green was the area most in demand for let after it was listed as having an average of 193-week wait time - almost four years. It had a whopping 207,020 bids for 178 properties - the highest number of bids for an area in the city.
The second longest wait was for homes was Harborne standing at an average of 130-weeks. There were 35,138 bids on 106 properties. While in third was Sutton Vesey, part of Sutton Coldfield, which was listed with an average of 117-weeks wait. It received 2,451 bids on 13 properties last year.
READ MORE: Prince William's Birmingham Wetherspoons visit has Brummies all saying the same thing
The overall average wait time for social housing in Birmingham is 65-weeks. The best area for getting housed was Holyhead with an average of 27 weeks wait - which was based on three lets over the last year.
Last year 23,097 people were on the social housing waiting list in Birmingham. This compares to 19,883 in 2023 and 20,682 in 2022, Freedom of Information data showed.
The city council let 2,008 properties over the last 12 months. It said that was equal to 8 per cent of over 25,500 applicants on the housing register. Half of these properties had more than one bedroom.
The council said it receives more than 600 housing applications per week. Applications are taking around eight weeks to assess following a complete application with all information required being received.
The authority said it's important people consider alternative housing options, including renting privately. For more information on this, please visit alternative housing options. Current social housing tenants are also advised to pursue a mutual exchange. To register, please visit homeswapper.
The longest wait locations for social housing:
Acocks Green: 193 weeks
Harborne: 130 weeks
Sutton Vesey: 117 weeks
Sutton Roughley: 109 weeks
Balsall Heath West: 103 weeks
Birchfield: 105 weeks
Northfield : 95 weeks
Sutton Reddicap: 91 weeks
Allens Cross: 88 weeks
Sutton Four Oaks and Mere: 86 weeks
Bournville: 85 weeks
Moseley : 84 weeks
Billesley : 79 weeks
Sparkhill: 75 weeks
Sheldon: 75 weeks
Bromford and Hodge Hill: 74 weeks