> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.thequarry.media/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Social housing waiting list stands at 436 households with waits of up to four years - URL: https://www.thequarry.media/social-housing-waiting-list-stands-at-436-households-with-waits-of-up-to-four-years/ - Published: 2026-09-22T13:57:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-23T13:57:28.000Z - Author: The Quarry - Tags: News - A total of 436 households are waiting for social housing in Guernsey at the end of Q2 2026, comprising 277 new applicants and 159 transfer requests - Demand is highest for one-bedroom properties with 261 households waiting, followed by 90 for two-bedroom, 59 for three-bedroom and 26 for four-bedroom properties - Band 1 priority applicants face waits of one to two years depending on property size, whilst Band 2 applicants wait between two and four-plus years - Properties are allocated alternately between Band 1 and Band 2 applicants, with every 20th property going to Band 3 applicants - The waiting list serves approximately 2,400 social rental properties managed by both Guernsey Housing Association and States Housing Listen to this article 0:00 /0 1× A total of 436 households are currently waiting for social housing in Guernsey, with some facing waits of more than four years before being allocated a property, according to figures released by the Committee for Housing. The data, published in response to a [Freedom of Information request](https://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=203629&p=0&ref=thequarry.media), shows that at the end of the second quarter of 2026, the waiting list comprised 277 new applicants seeking social rental accommodation and 159 existing tenants requesting transfers to different properties. The figures reveal that demand is highest for one-bedroom properties, with 169 new applicants and 92 transfer requests. Two-bedroom properties have 78 new applicants and 12 transfer requests, whilst three-bedroom properties are sought by 28 new applicants and 31 existing tenants. Just two new applicants and 24 transfer requests are recorded for four-bedroom properties. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/48/0b/480bfed6-f3f7-4a48-9efe-fae23adf5d03/content/images/2026/09/guernsey-record-3--2.png)](https://record.thequarry.media/?ref=thequarry.media) The waiting list serves both Guernsey Housing Association properties and States Housing properties, with approximately 2,400 social rental properties available across both organisations. Applicants on the housing waiting list are prioritised according to the urgency and severity of their needs through a three-tier banding system. Band 1 represents those with the most pressing need, such as those who are rough sleeping. Band 2 represents those with an increased need, whilst Band 3 represents those with the lowest need, including people who are adequately housed in affordable properties but otherwise meet the eligibility criteria. As properties become available, they are allocated on an alternating basis between those on the Band 1 and Band 2 waiting lists. However, every 20th property is allocated to those on the Band 3 waiting list to ensure that eligible individuals with less pressing needs still have the opportunity to secure accommodation. In circumstances where an individual at the top of a higher priority banding has been waiting longer than the person at the top of the band whose turn it is for allocation, the property will be given to the person on the higher priority banding to maintain the principle of prioritisation. Waiting times vary considerably depending on the priority band and property size. For Band 1 applicants, the estimated average wait for a one-bedroom property is two years, falling to 15 months for two-bedroom properties and one year for three-bedroom properties, before rising again to two years for four-bedroom properties. Band 2 applicants face significantly longer waits. One-bedroom properties require an estimated three to four years, two-bedroom properties take two to three years, and three-bedroom properties around two years. The longest waits are for four-bedroom properties, which can exceed four years. The Committee for Housing stated it is not possible to give a meaningful estimate for Band 3 waiting times due to the very low numbers involved, although examples in recent years have shown waits exceeding three years. The committee emphasised that it is not possible to give categoric and exact average wait times as these can fluctuate. Individual circumstances must also be taken into account, with some applicants having accessibility needs that restrict the properties that can be offered to them. The estimates provided are based on how long the last household waited before being allocated a property. Transfer requests most commonly arise when existing tenants need to relocate to a differently sized property, such as following the birth of a child or when an adult child moves out. Medical needs that make a tenant's current accommodation unsuitable also represent a significant justification for transfers. One exception to the standard definitions applies where an adult child living with parents in a social rental property submits an application to become a tenant in their own right, which is treated as a new application rather than a transfer. The Freedom of Information request was received on 4th August 2026, with the response provided by the Committee for Housing on 14th September 2026\. Further details on the banding criteria, including the full allocation and eligibility policy, are available on the States of Guernsey website. ## Q&A **Q: How many households are currently on the social housing waiting list?** A: A total of 436 households are on the waiting list at the end of Q2 2026, comprising 277 new applicants and 159 existing tenants requesting transfers. **Q: How are properties allocated to people on the waiting list?** A: Properties are allocated alternately between Band 1 and Band 2 applicants, with every 20th property going to Band 3 applicants. If someone in a higher priority band has waited longer than the person whose turn it is, they receive priority. **Q: What are the average waiting times for social housing?** A: Waiting times vary by priority band and property size. Band 1 applicants typically wait between one and two years, Band 2 applicants wait between two and four-plus years depending on property size, whilst Band 3 applicants face waits exceeding three years.