Frequently asked questions about the letting activity are answered below.

The house down the road has been empty for a long time, why can’t I move into it? 

Anyone interested in applying for empty accommodation can apply to join the Council’s housing register. 

In some instances, properties may still be tenanted, and the tenant is expected by the Council to return. However, if you feel that a property may have been abandoned, please contact us. 

When properties are returned to the Council, they often require repair and improvement works to get them to a condition where they can be re-let. These works can be time consuming, and may involve asbestos removal, structural works, the moving of utilities, and the replacement of kitchens and bathrooms. 

In some instances, a property may need to be adapted to meet the needs of a new disabled tenant/s and this work may be complex and take time to complete. 

It is often the case that properties receiving works whilst they are empty have already been allocated to a prospective tenant/s.  All properties are allocated in accordance with the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy. 

Some of our accommodation, particularly for the over 60s is hard to let and therefore may have been empty for some time. We are currently looking at options for properties where this is the case. 

How many households are on the council property waiting list?  How many are in each banding? 

On Tuesday August 9, 2022 there were than 1,173 applicants on the housing waiting list that are eligible to bid. 

Band 

Number of applicants eligible to bid 

1 

154 

2 

136 

3 

883 

On average, how many Council owned properties are let each week?  

The number of properties let each week varies depending on how many properties become ready to let following repair works and safety checks. 

In the last financial year (2021/22) the Council let 373 properties, which is an average of just over 7 per week.       

What is the average time a household will wait to win a property bid? 

The length of time between an applicant being accepted on to the housing register and securing an offer of suitable accommodation depends on several factors, including: 

  • The type of property the applicant is eligible for and the availability of that property type. 
  • The bidding activity of the applicant - i.e., whether the applicant searches and bids regularly for properties, and whether the applicant is bidding for properties in all areas of the borough, or just specific areas.  
  • The applicant’s banding, and the date their banding was effective from. 
  • The relative priority of other applicants bidding on a property the applicant has bid on. 

To maximise the chances of a successful bid, in most instances applicants should use their 2 weekly bids where possible and be prepared to bid on properties at locations across the borough  

How many of each property type does the Council have, and how many of each type would come up for bidding annually? 

The number of properties owned by the Council by type and location at can be found at Appendix 1. Council-owned housing stock is extremely limited in some areas of the Borough.  

The number of lets in 2021/22 by property type and location can be found at Appendix 2. 

Why does the Council sometimes place people in emergency accommodation outside of the Borough of Charnwood? 

Where it is safe to accommodate someone in the borough of Charnwood, we will always try move them out of bed and breakfast accommodation into self-contained accommodation as soon as possible.    

We have a very high-level of homelessness cases needing emergency accommodation. The Council has a limited number of hotel and bed and breakfast providers in the Charnwood area that have been assessed as meeting the required standards and will accommodate people referred by the Council. This means that in some instances the only remaining option is accommodation outside of the borough.  

In some circumstances it is not appropriate for a person to be accommodated in the borough of Charnwood, for example, where they are at risk from or to others in the area. 

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Last updated: Thu 12th January, 2023 @ 16:34