This section contains information about housing in Waltham Forest. The Council has an arms length management organisation, Ascham Homes, which is responsible for managing its housing stock.

If you are already a Waltham Forest Council tenant please visit the section about Ascham Homes where you can find information about repairs and tenants' participation, or visit their website.

If you are worried about becoming homeless, you must seek advice as soon as possible. Find out more.

The wait for council housing in the borough is a very long one. There is a severe shortage of all sizes of accommodation in the borough, and waiting times are usually measured in years.

  • Average waiting times for properties can be over 10 years.
  • Less than one in ten properties are let to applicants in the 'reasonable preference' band.

Unless your housing need meets the criteria for 'additional preference' we would advise that you consider the other options available.

Before you apply for council housing, please take some time to read about the other options available to you:

You can also find advice about tenancy succession - who can succeed to a tenancy upon the death of a Council tenant. It explains the process which involves both the Council and Ascham Homes.

Who can apply for council housing?

The Council has an open register for people within and outside of Waltham Forest's boundaries with a limited number of exceptions. Anyone aged 16 years or over can register but may need a rent guarantor if successfully rehoused.

Who cannot apply?

  • Households who are subject to immigration control.
  • Households whose behaviour as a tenant, or the behaviour or a member of their household, has not been acceptable. For example, if they were evicted from accommodation in the past because of anti-social behaviour or rent arrears.
  • Households who have the funds to make their own arrangements.

In order to help you to find out how long it would potentially take for you to be placed in Council housing, we require you to complete the online self-assessment form. This will give you an indication of your preference band and how long it could potentially take for you to be housed.

Find out more about the preference bands

Once you have completed the self-assessment, and if you feel you have a realistic chance of receiving an offer of accommodation, you can continue to the main online application form. You will need a number of documents in front of you when you do so that you can complete the form correctly. Please allow plenty of time, as the form takes just over one hour to complete.

» Apply for Council Housing

More information

For more information about the Housing Allocation Scheme in Waltham Forest, please see the Council's leaflet: Housing Allocation Scheme: General Information.

For more information about Choice Based Lettings, please see the leaflet: Choice Based Lettings: How to bid

You can also view the Council's Allocations Policy.

Contact us

Cedar Wood House
2d Fulbourne Road
Walthamstow  E17 4GG  (map)

Opening hours
9am-4.30pm Monday to Thursday
10am-4.30pm Friday