Agenda item

The Director of Independent Living submitted further proposed amendments to both the Housing Allocation Policy and Local Lettings Policies.  The report also detailed how an annual review of the Housing Register would be undertaken and how changes were being implemented regarding advertising properties in Key Choices.

The previous process utilised for reviewing the Housing Register had been resource intensive and costly.  As from May, 2011, ICT software would facilitate an automated yearly review which would be activated on the annual date of each housing application.  This would ensure that the Register remained up-to-date and only contained households wishing to be considered for 1 of the housing options advertised in Key Choices.  The process would be more manageable and would alert customers via e-mail that their application was due to renewal and allow customers to update their application online.  There would still be costs associated with the new annual review process, however, they would spread throughout the year.

As part of the Scrutiny Review of Choice Based Lettings, the process for advertising properties via the local media had been examined.  The results had shown that the numbers of customers using the Advertiser to view adverts had reduced with the most popular method being via online or by visiting the Property Shop.  Last year 1,006 customers were asked which outlets they used to find accommodation:-

279     Rotherham Advertiser

526     Key Choices website

464     Key Choices Property Shop

110     Neighbourhood Office

The cost of publishing properties in the local media equated to an annual spend of £44,200.  In order to reduce the costs, it was proposed that the Service would cease advertising in the newspaper and utilise the savings to pay for the costs of the new annual Housing Register review process and broader homelessness prevention and resettlement activity.

The Housing Allocation Policy had been reviewed in light of specific cases and complaints which had highlighted issues with the existing practice.  As a result the following amendments were proposed:-

-        Amended priority to overcrowded households.

Currently Environmental Health Officers assessed whether the occupiers of a dwelling were overcrowded using The Housing Act 1985 (Part 10) and The Housing Health and Safety Rating System.  Where families were assessed as statutory overcrowded but were living together on a temporary basis, under the current Policy the household would only receive General Plus status without having had an Environmental Health Assessment.  There was no definition of the “temporary nature” of the arrangement.

It was proposed that all households who claimed that they were living in overcrowded accommodation were referred for an Environmental Health Assessment.  All households living in overcrowded situations who had applied for rehousing would be placed in the General Group until such an Assessment and would be as follows:-

-        Mutual Exchanges

Currently lack of clarity in relation to the grounds under which the Council could withhold consent.  Tenants could exchange like for like properties of the same size of where there were the same number of people accommodated.

It was proposed that this be amended to provide greater clarity so that tenants could exchange like for like properties that were of the same type and with the same number of bedrooms.

-        Adapted Property or Disabled Persons Unit households who wished to move once they no longer need the adaptation

It was proposed that Priority Plus applicants be included as an incentive to move quicker and recycle adapted properties back into the system for letting.

-        Local Lettings Policies

It was proposed that where there had been significant improvement in sustainability such as reduced abandoned properties, evictions and reported crime, that the Local Lettings Policy be removed.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the changes being implemented around the annual Housing Register review  be noted.

(2)  That the proposed cessation of publishing properties in the local press be deferred.

(3)  That the amendments to the priority awarded in the Allocation Policy for overcrowded households be approved.

(4)  That amendments to the Allocation Policy in relation to Mutual Exchanges be approved.

(5)  That revisions to the Local Letting Policy, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report submitted, be approved.