Housing Options

Housing in West London is in short supply and it is unlikely that you will get a new home through bidding on Locata. Please see the following housing options that may be available to you:

First Steps

FIRST STEPS are here to help you apply for and choose a home ownership option that is affordable and best for you.

Right To Buy

Right to buy was introduced in 1980 to allow public sector tenants to buy their home.

Social Rented Housing

With social housing (renting from a council or housing association) you tend to have more security of tenure and guarantees of service such as repairs. Rents are generally lower than if you rent privately, but this gap is narrowing.

Demand for social housing tends to be high however, so if you are not in urgent housing need, you may struggle to find a home in the area you want.

Private Rented Accomodation

Private landlords offer a wide range of accommodation, often in areas that councils and housing associations cannot. They tend to offer properties on six monthly tenancies, which can be renewed if they are happy with the way you have managed your tenancy. You don't have the same security of tenure, but the shorter tenancies and higher mobility works especially well for people who need to move frequently.

West London councils only work with private landlords who are accredited, that is, they are committed to offering good quality accommodation and we perform regular checks to make sure that their standards are maintained.

Mutual Exchange

If you are a public sector tenant, you can move home by swapping your home with another public sector tenant. To register for Exchange Locata.