Birmingham City Council

Government-funded legal advice and representation (legal aid) is available to anyone facing possession proceedings.

Help is available from the moment you receive written notice that someone is seeking the possession of your home. This might be an email from your landlord or a letter from a creditor. Your financial situation will not affect your right to access this support and you will not need to pay.

A housing expert (funded by the government) will work with you to identify what may be causing someone to seek possession of your home and recommend potential solutions. For example, they may be able to provide legal advice on matters such as:

• illegal eviction
• disrepair and other problems with housing conditions
• rent arrears
• mortgage arrears
• welfare benefits payments
• debt

In the event you are unable to resolve matters and you are asked to attend a court hearing, a housing adviser can also provide free legal advice and representation at the court. Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your hearing and speak to the court usher and they will direct you to the adviser.

You can find your nearest Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service provider by typing in your postcode and ticking the box ‘Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service’ at: find-legal-advice.justice.gov.uk

The Birmingham Choice site has been upgraded to include improved accessibility for screen reader technology and a new waiting time calculator. 

The waiting time calculator can be found in the top right of the screen and will show average waiting times for properties in each area of Birmingham.  You can also filter the results by bands, bedroom numbers and property types. 

A guide to the waiting time calculator can be found here - Waiting time calculator user guide

The introduction of a new Housing Allocations Policy for Birmingham was approved by Councillors at a Cabinet meeting in March 2022.  The new Policy was prepared following extensive consultation on the changes that we propose, and we estimate the changes will be implemented in Autumn 2022.

The new policy aims to ensure the register is made up only of people with an identified need for housing, to give a true reflection of the level of housing need and the type of properties that are in demand and we want to make sure it is fairer so that those most in need of social housing are prioritised on the housing waiting list. 

While It is important that we adapt and change our policy to better meet the needs of those living in overcrowded, insecure, or inadequate housing, reducing and preventing homelessness remains of highest importance. The revised policy will help to ensure those with the highest need are given the appropriate priority to reflect this.

The new policy includes changes to qualification criteria, so that only those with an identified need for housing can join the register, as well as changes in local connection criteria and changes to circumstances in which applications may be given reduced priority due to non-bidding or refusal of a number of suitable properties.

Work has now started to prepare for implementation of the new policy.  Individual letters will be sent to everyone on the current register later in the year, setting out their new positions.

There is nothing that you need to tell us now as these changes have not yet been applied.  You don’t need to contact us as we will let you know how you are affected when the policy goes live.

Further updates will appear on this page!

Click here to see new draft allocation scheme

Click here to take survey

Birmingham City Council is keen to hear your views on a new Draft Housing Allocations Policy which will be implemented in 2022.

In Birmingham the demand for social housing dramatically exceeds availability, there are many more people who need a home or who want to move home, than there are homes available for them. There are also not enough homes owned by the council and its partners (housing associations) to offer housing to those who need it most.

There are currently 19500 applicants on the Council’s Housing Register waiting for a home in Birmingham. As the demand for social housing is far greater than the supply of properties available, many applicants have a lengthy wait before they will be offered a property.

By implementing a new Allocations Policy, the Council can continue to ensure that homes that do become available are let to those in the greatest housing need.

As part of the process the Council is keen to hear your views on the proposals and is now carrying out a 12 week consultation.  Starting on 29th November 2021 the consultation will collect feedback from applicants on the housing register, tenants, and residents.  The feedback will then be taken into consideration when drafting the final version of the Policy.

Birmingham Advice Aid provides 24 hour interactive guidance tailored to your individual circumstances.

First class digital Housing Advice at your fingertips.

It is always important to know your rights and responsibilities as housing issues can arise at any time. Whether you are threatened with eviction from your landlord, or simply cannot afford to maintain your mortgage repayments – getting the right advice at the right time is vital.

Birmingham Advice Aid provides 24 hour interactive guidance tailored to your individual circumstances. Birmingham Advice Aid raises the availability of professional digital Housing Advice, and helps you find the answers to your specific housing concerns and prevent homelessness.

Birmingham Advice Aid provides comprehensive advice around; Homelessness legislation, tenant rights, benefits, harassment, S21 notices, mortgage arrears, domestic abuse, rights of occupation, welfare reform, illegal eviction, rent arrears, housing disrepair and much more.

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50094/housing_options/2432/birmingham_advice_aid