The average wait for a new council home in Hounslow is now more than four-and-a-half years, new figures show.

Households in the borough can expect to wait 4.6 years on the council's housing register with no prospect of being housed, the council's own figures show.

The lengthy wait emerged as Hounslow Council consults about changes to how it provides housing in a bid to reduce the average waiting time.

The proposed revamp includes offering private rented accommodation, much of which would be located outside the borough, to people seeking a new council home. This is currently only offered to homeless households.

Under the new system, people would be offered just one alternative home and if they refuse that offer could be suspended from the waiting list. At present they can turn down three properties before this sanction is taken.

The changes would also see the council ditch the lettings website LOCATA, which allows people to bid on homes, and instead choose suitable properties itself which it believes meet each applicant's needs.

One home outside the borough could be all you're offered

Should the new policy be adopted, it would mean people could be offered one home outside the borough and if they rejected that they would not be able to reapply for 12 months.

The council claims the proposed system would be "more efficient" as applicants and housing officers would not waste their time on multiple failed bids which had little chance of succeeding in the first place.

Hounslow Council has been building more council homes in a bid to alleviate the housing crisis
Hounslow Council has been building more council homes in a bid to alleviate the housing crisis

It says the changes would improve the chances of being housed for the "significant number" of people on its housing register who are not successfully using the current bidding system.

The council says it would not be alone in allocating homes, rather than allowing residents to bid for a property of their choice.

Hounslow 'following example of other councils'

It says Hammersmith & Fulham , Richmond and Wandsworth councils are among those to have moved away from or never offered such choice-based lettings schemes.

The council says it expects to house just one in eight of the 3,258 household on its housing register this year due to the shortage of available properties in the borough.

Consultation on the changes began on May 9 and is due to continue until July 31 this year.

Should the proposals be approved by cabinet members this autumn, they would take effect from the beginning of next year.

You can have your say on the proposed changes by visiting the council website.

getwestlondon recently reported how the average monthly rent in Hounslow had risen by £200 in just one year.