District Executive – 3rd March 2011

9.Revised Homefinder Somerset Policy

Executive Portfolio Holder: / Cllr Ric Pallister, Health, Housing and Spatial Planning
Strategic Director: / Vega Sturgess, Operations and Customer Focus
Assistant Director:
Service Manager: / Steve Joel, Health and Wellbeing
Kirsty Larkins, Housing and Welfare Manager
Lead Officer: / Kirsty Larkins, Housing and Welfare Manager
Contact Details: / or (01935) 462744
Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is to outline the proposed amendments to the current Homefinder Somerset Policy and seek agreement from District Executive to implement the revised policy.

Public Interest

The report outlines the proposed changes to the way in which housing need is assessed when members of the public apply for social housing within Somerset.

Recommendation(s)

That the District Executive approves the revised Homefinder Somerset Policy (Appendix 1 - Homefinder Somerset Common Lettings Policy).

Background

In December 2008 South Somerset District Council introduced a Choice Based Lettings (CBL) scheme called Homefinder Somerset (HFS) in conjunction with the other District Councils in Somerset and over forty social landlords.

The scheme has been successfully running for just over two years, overseen by the HFS Monitoring Board made up of representatives from the five local authorities and partner landlords, to ensure social housing is let in a fair, transparent, equitable way across the County.

As part of forming the partnership all partners agreed to review the policy within the first two years of scheme going live.

Accordingly the Monitoring Board formed a Review Group in February 2010 to:

  • Independently check the statutory requirements on Local Housing Authorities, and ensure the policy meets the requirements.
  • Consider the list of issues raised in the partnership meetings.
  • Consider the feedback from the countywide Scrutiny work.

This Group has reviewed the statutory guidance and the list of issues from the partnership meetings, enabling initial proposals to be made on amendments to the existing policy.

In September 2010 a countywide Scrutiny review of HFS was completed and the findings fed back to the Review Group and Monitoring Board (see appendix 2 - Homefinder Somerset Countywide overview and Scrutiny Report). The recommendations were considered by the Group and further proposals on amendments were made to the HFS Policy, application form and other associated publications.

The Monitoring Board subsequently completed a public consultation exercise on the HFS policy proposals in December 2010 (see appendix 3 - Results of Homefinder Somerset Allocations Policy Consultation). Importantly, the overall the consultation found that there was overall support and agreement from the public and other agencies to the proposed changes.

The Review Group considered the feedback from the consultation and made recommendations to the Monitoring Board. The Monitoring Board approved the revised Homefinder Somerset Policy and resolved to seek approval from each local authority to enable the policy to be implemented.

Summary of the Main Changes to the Policy

Appendix 4 (HFS Common Lettings Policy for Consultation Questionnaires) gives a detailed summary of the full changes to the policy, including amendments to wording. The information below outlines the significant changes to the policy.

Assessment of Applicants Financial Resources

Applicants will be required to supply information regarding income, expenditure and savings. Applicants with a gross household income more than four times higher than the relevant Local Housing Allowance Level will normally be considered to be able to meet their own housing need through renting privately or owner occupation. Exemption from the financial assessment will be applied to where a full homeless duty has been accepted, or where there is an overriding medical or support need.

Banding Criteria

Gold Band

  • Under the policy applicants have always been placed in Gold band if they have been accepted as homeless by a local authority within the HFS area, this will now include Rent (Agricultural) Act Cases.
  • The policy has always placed applicants lacking two bedrooms in their current accommodation. It will now include those applicants who are assessed as statutorily overcrowded or a category 1 hazard exists, unless evidence proves the overcrowding was deliberate.
  • Tenants will only be able to be awarded Gold band for downsizing on one occasion unless there is a subsequent change in their circumstances.
  • Gold will only be awarded to victims of harassment or violence if their current property is within the HFS area and there is evidence to substantiate the claim.
  • Care Leavers will be awarded Gold band when they are ready for independent living to allow them to move in a planned way to more suitable accommodation.
  • Cumulative need will now be taken into account. If an applicant is awarded four or more silver band housing needs they will be awarded Gold band.
  • Tenants of HFS Landlords whose existing accommodation is subject to major works and need to move to another location will be placed into Gold band.
  • Gold band will be now awarded to an applicant where the LA receive written confirmation from a HFS Landlord that an applicant has been living in a social housing property, however has no legal right to succession on the property, and the landlord intends to pursue possession of the property.

Silver Band

  • Applicants lodging with friends or family in accommodation with shared living facilities will be awarded silver band. This will take precedence over any lack of bedroom.
  • Silver band will no longer be awarded for a child/children under 10 years of age and who has no access to an enclosed garden.

Bronze Band

  • Applicants living in a self-contained bedsit/studio flat or apartment where no facilities are shared will be banded in bronze unless they have other housing needs.

Disrepair Assessments for all Bands

  • Disrepair assessments will now be made using the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System.

Size of Accommodation

  • Due to the very high demand for properties within Somerset additional bedrooms will no longer be awarded to single/couples with access to children.
  • When letting houses priority will normally be given to households with children under 16.
  • Applicants banding (for the purpose of lacking bedrooms) will be based on their minimum bedroom entitlement.

Selection procedure

  • If an applicant is banded in Gold due to harassment in a specific area and bids on a property in the same general area the landlord or LA may choose not to offer the property, if in the opinion of the landlord or LA it is unlikely to address the harassment issues raised on the initial application.

Refusals

  • With exception of applicants who are in Gold band because they have a full homeless duty accepted, applicants who refuse three formal offers of suitable accommodation will have their case reviewed by the LA managing their case. The applicant will be given advice and assistance regarding the HFS scheme. If the applicant subsequently refuses one further offer they may be placed into bronze band for three months. After three months the applicant will be reassessed and placed in the appropriate band and may lose their original effective date.

Implementation

The implementation of the revised policy is planned to take place in June 2011. Existing applicants will not need to re-apply for housing. Instead existing housing staff across the five local authorities will work together to review applications that may be impacted by the adjustments in the policy.

Staffing resources required for assessing existing applications may impact on the day to day running of the service for a short period of time. This could result in a delay in assessing new applicants applying to go onto the register.

Applicants affected will be notified in writing and have the opportunity to appeal against decisions in accordance with existing legalisation and procedures.

Financial Implications

There are potentially some additional staffing costs due to the work involved with reassessing applicants housing need. These costs will be met through efficiency savings within the service.

Risk Matrix

This matrix only identifies the risk associated with taking the decision as set out in the report as the recommendation.

CY
F / R
CpP
CP

Likelihood

Key

Categories / Colours (for further detail please refer toRisk management strategy)
R=Reputation
CpP=Corporate Plan Priorities
CP =Community Priorities
CY=Capacity
F=Financial / Red=High impact and high probability
Orange=Major impact and major probability
Yellow=Moderate impact and moderate probability
Green=Minor impact and minor probability
Blue=Insignificant impact and insignificant probability

Corporate Priority Implications

Linked to Theme 3 of the Corporate Plan, Improve the Housing, Health and Wellbeing of our Citizens, specifically 3.6; Reduce the number of household living in temporary accommodation.

Carbon Emissions and Adapting to Climate Change Implications (NI188)

None

Equality and Diversity Implications

There is an equalities impact assessment for the partnership

Background Papers: / Minutes of District Executive 5/06/2008