Presented by Judith Jones SLHD Director of Housing Services and

Andrea Jarratt Access and Allocations Service Manager

Consultation on Doncaster Council’s Housing Allocations

PolicyNovember 2012

Purpose

•To confirm the consultation recommendations

•To note your feedback as part of the consultation process

Background•Last policy review December 2008 effective 01 April 2009

•Changing demand

•Localism Act giving new flexibility and powers including fixed term tenancies and reflecting local priorities

•New Housing Allocations Code Of Guidance published end June 2012

•Additional preference to certain Armed Forces applicants July 2012

Housing Register as of 25 July 2012Band % Actual Of which

transfers Actual

Of which transfers %

Platinum 0.5% 47 12 1%

Gold 2% 292 71 4%

Silver 4.5% 535 296 19%

Bronze 67% 7982 1128 73%

General 26% 3105 41 3%

Total 100% 11,961 1548 100%

Total Rehoused 2010/11 and 2011/12

Band 2010/11 2011/12

Platinum 5% 82 7% 98

Gold 36% 559 29%

428

Silver 16% 243 13%

195

Bronze 41% 642 49%

723

General 2% 29 2% 36

Total properties

100% 1555 100% 1480

Recommendation 1Introduce a local connection criteria of a minimum of 2 or 3

years through

•Continuous residence

•Lived here 2 or 3 years out of the last 5 years

•Employment

•Family connection ( spouse/civil partner, grandparent, parent, child,

brother or sister)

•Other special circumstances

Who is exempt?

Households who have a local connection under homeless legislation

Armed Forces personnel and their families where the housing application

is made within 5 years of discharge

Recommendation 2Do not register housing applications from applicants who own or

have a financial interest and/or have transferred ownership but

have continuing rights to reside in a property unless they have an

assessed housing need.

This will require a review of all applicants. Where there are potential medical

needs we will identify those applicants who require further assessment by an

OT. We suggest a dedicated OT resource for 9 months.

(75% of General band have declared they are owners (2345 applications).

Recommendation 3Being more prescriptive around non qualification to join the Housing Register or removal of priority re asb/convictions/housing related debt/poor tenancy conduct/behaviour

We cannot apply blanket police checks, however when identified applicants are at a high risk of failing to conduct a tenancy they will be subject to a multi agency risk assessment process prior to their application being activated. Have a separate process for serious offenders defining what will be considered.

Existing council tenants : Visit existing transfer and new transfer applicants before their application is activated to identify if they are in breach of their tenancy and if any estate management action is required.

Recommendation 4Housing applications will not be fully registered until

all supporting information has been received. This is

within 28 days of application.

Why?

This will support properties being allocated more effectively and give

ownership to the customer to provide information to confirm that they

are eligible to join the housing register. This includes transfer

applicants.

NB We will provide support to vulnerable applicants

Recommendation 5To consider the use of fixed term tenancies for 4 bed +

properties

Why?

To link tenancies to the age of the youngest resident child. We have very

few larger properties (411 in total stock) and only 16 to relet 2010/11 and

24 in 2011/12 (including some new build) This would enable us to assist

with downsizing and make larger properties become more available to

those who need them.

Recommendation 6

Have a separate transfer list for DMBC tenants who are not in

‘reasonable preference groups’ (excluding homeless/medical,

give/receive support, overcrowded)

Why?

To allow more flexibility outside of the allocation policy rules to rehouse

applicants under occupying housing and those in regeneration

schemes

Recommendation 7

12 month qualification period for new tenancies before they can apply for a transfer unless assessed as homeless, in reasonable preference, downsizing from family houses or special circumstances

Why?

Currently 23% of housing allocations are to transfer applicants, many who are not in housing need. This limits the available homes for applicants who are and does not support sustainable communities. It is also costly in terms of void costs and is not value for money. We will promote mutual exchange as an alternative.

Recommendation 8

Remove cumulative need (where two or more reasonable

preferences = higher priority) eg silver medical need +

silver homeless need = gold priority

Why?

The legal requirement to consider cumulative need was overruled at the

High Court , where it was agreed that a banding system based on time

waiting and the primary rehousing reason was transparent and less

open to legal challenge

Recommendation 9

Allow single eligible applicants to bid on 2 bed roomed

bungalows

Why?

Currently single eligible applicants only qualify if they have an identified

need for overnight care or need adapted accommodation. In some

areas we have fewer 1 bed properties (East area). Older people feel

this is unfair as want room for family to visit or have lower level

support. Advice would be given to those affected by Welfare

Reform before taking a tenancy.

Recommendation 10Give Platinum Priority to Armed Forces and former

armed forces personnel in housing need within 5

years of discharge - this will include those leaving

armed forces with no suitable accommodation,

those injured or disabled needing housing and

bereaved spouses or civil partners

Why?

This will recognise the contribution made by our armed forces and

provide a clear route into housing

Recommendation 11Backdate the registration date of serving and former Armed Forces personnel with previous connection to Doncaster to reflect their length of service

Why?

To recognise the contribution made by Armed Forces including where the applicant is in low housing need and is not eligible for a priority eg where they are currently serving and are not leaving or where they are suitably housed or have suitable housing available to them

Recommendation 12Introduce a 6 month suspension for applicants in the Bronze and General Bands who refuse 3 reasonable offers of accommodation including applicants offered suitable adapted accommodation

Why?

To reduce refusal rates and support applicants to make informed decisions about bidding. To limit serial bidders. Since introducing penalties for priority band applicants in April 2009 we have had less than 30 reviews and have only removed priority on a small number of applications.

Recommendation 13Advertise adapted properties for biddingWhy?

DMBC’s Accessible Housing Register have requested this as the current nomination process is time consuming and has limited success and also impacts on rent loss.

Applicants with an identified medical need who have been OT assessed (including underage applicants) will have a medical marker which will put them in a higher position on the bidding shortlist than applicants who do not. Any offer may be subject to an OT decision for these applicants and/or risk assessment (where an applicant is underage and has bid on an age designated scheme). This could exclude purpose built and extensively adapted property.

Recommendation 14Only award Platinum priority to full duty homeless applicants who cannot be rehoused into suitable private sector accommodation

Why?

This will ensure that only those who do not have access to other tenures of housing are given the highest priority on the Housing Register

Recommendation 15Give Platinum priority to applicants in hospital who

cannot be discharged as they are not able to return

home and where their home cannot be adapted to

meet their needs

Why?

the local authority has a statutory duty to assist in

rehousing

Recommendation 16

Give agreed foster carers Platinum Priority where they do not

have suitable accommodation to foster and are not able to

resolve their own circumstances, Consider the use of fixed

term tenancies

Why?

This supports vulnerable children having access to foster care and

recognises the importance of supporting this process.

Recommendation 17

Award Gold priority to households overcrowded by 2 or more bedrooms and Silver priority to those overcrowded by 1 bedroom

Why?

Currently applicants who are overcrowded are allocated Gold priority and this does not distinguish between those more severely overcrowded

Recommendation 18 Remove the property ratio where a certain percentage of each property type is advertised with ‘priority to’ a certain band

Why?

Applicants find this confusing and frustrating and cannot understand why applicants in less housing need are given priority.

Consideration will be given to developing local lettings policies in areas of low turnover

Thank you for listeningAny Questions?