Agenda item

Allocations and Lettings Policy – Housing Specialist Louisa Hill

Update on the Lettings Policy attached with the agenda, key points stated were;

·       SWT Housing Service will participate in the Homefinder Somerset Partnership, the partnership operates a countywide choice based lettings scheme which is administered by the Local Authorities of Somerset;

·       Asylum seekers - SWT will assist in the rehousing of Asylum Seekers and persons from abroad, in accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements.   We will  accept referrals from the Local Authority for Asylum seekers with “limited leave to remain” as well as  the NASS scheme (National Asylum Support Scheme);

·       Aids and adaptations - We will seek to allocate our housing stock in a way that ensures best use of the property, this will include where there are significant Aids and Adaptations, property size and also the local situation (ensuring adherence to Section 106 agreements. We will achieve this by effective use of adverts, using appropriate labelling and working with partners such as Housing Occupational Therapists;

·       Policy - We will review our allocations and lettings performance and consult on this policy by seeking comments from customers, stakeholders and partners, as well as reviewing against good practice and regulatory and legal requirements;

·       Portfolio sign off - To ensure fairness and transparency ,where we identify an applicant has a significant relationship either with SWT or an employee of SWT, we will ensure that any proposed let is reviewed with the Housing Portfolio Holder before the allocation is confirmed;

·       Downsizing - We will seek assist our existing customers who need to downsize to a smaller property by supporting them through the application and lettings process and by provision of a Transfer Removal Grant, once the home move is completed;

·       ASB - We will not usually make an allocation to an applicant where they or a member of their household has a recent history, (defined as the last 2 years) of ASB.   We will take into account, the extent of the ASB, its impact on the local community at the time, the length of time since the activity occurred, but also what the applicant or household member has done to change their behaviour and be better able to sustain a tenancy with SWT;

Comments from group members included;

·       When you are allocating properties in the rural areas are you taking into consideration applications from people that already live there or want to come back to the village due to family living there? This is about making the best use of our stock so there maybe people that are in the village that maybe in a lower band and in a lower need for housing and so we have to look even if it is outside of that village area people that are in more need for that type of accommodation and if they have expressed an interest to be in that village that is an appropriate let;

·       ASB – no mention of the impact on the victims of this anti-social behaviour; this is not directly addressing the ASB. This is in a separate ASB policy document which will be brought to your attention. This is about the re-letting of properties specifically and for consideration of what may have happened in a previous tenancy and what they have done to address that behaviour and the impact of that behaviour;

Resolved that – the group were happy to recommend the Policy