Housing Allocation Scheme 2018-2022 - Effective 1 May 2018 How the scheme works - Slough Borough ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Housing Allocation Scheme 2018-2022 Effective 1 May 2018 How Howthe thescheme scheme works works
This booklet is a guide to making an application to join the housing register in Slough. It explains what is needed to assess an application, who can and cannot apply and how offers of accommodation are made. It is a summary of the Housing Allocation Scheme 2018-2022. The full version can be viewed on the website www.slough.gov.uk Fraud prevention Ground 5 in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1985 (as amended by section 146 of the 1996 Act) The Housing Act 1996 Section 171 enables a housing authority to makes it an offence for anyone seek possession of a tenancy seeking assistance from a housing granted as a result of a false authority under Part 6 of the 1996 statement by the tenants or a Act to: person acting as the tenant’s • knowingly or recklessly give instigation. false information, or The council will not hesitate to • knowingly withhold information prosecute any applicant(s) who which the housing authority has have either been allocated a home reasonably required the or applied for a home by using applicant to give. false or fraudulent information. At any point during this process applicants may be required to attend council offices to have photographs taken for identification purposes. www.slough.gov.uk 1
Making an If you are a Slough Borough Council or housing association application tenant you must contact your area housing officer for details of any The application is to join the other housing options that may be housing register for an allocation available. of social housing. The application Only main applicants and those must be completed in full to be persons that may reasonably be accepted. expected to reside with the An offer of accommodation may be applicant can be included on the anywhere in the borough, with any application. Extended families and social landlord and for any non-dependant family members property that meets housing need. are advised to make separate Due to the high demand for social applications. An unborn child does housing we cannot offer a choice not count as part of the household. of area unless there are The following supporting exceptional circumstances that (photocopied) documents must be would make any offer unsuitable. submitted with the application. Being on the housing register does These documents will be verified if not always mean that you will get an offer of accommodation is an offer of accommodation. The made. Homeseekers newsletter gives • For each person listed on the more information on the supply application a birth certificate or and demand for social housing in valid passport Slough. • Proof of current and previous The council aims to assess housing five years residence applications within eight weeks. • Proof of current income and Applicants must be over 16 years employment details of age and eligible within the • Proof of savings or equity meaning of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. • Evidence of training or volunteering 2 www.slough.gov.uk
• Proof of immigration status if • People who need to move on subject to immigration control medical or welfare grounds (including any grounds relating • A tenancy agreement if in to a disability rented accommodation • People who need to move to a The council will inform the particular locality in the district applicant in writing if the of the authority, where failure to application has been successful meet that need would cause and what priority has been hardship (to themselves or to awarded. Applicants will be given others) a unique reference number. This number must be given when • Unsatisfactory/overcrowded or making any enquiry to the council insanitary housing conditions concerning their application. If an applicant or any member of If the application has not been the household ceases to be eligible successful the applicant will be then the application will be notified in writing as to the removed from the register. reasons why. If an applicant or any member of the household has a change in Who can join the circumstance then any extra priority may be removed/added housing register and/or the application removed from the register. The law sets out groups of people If a dependant child is no longer who are considered to have dependant then the application reasonable preference or a need will be re assessed - this may result for the allocation of social housing. in the cancellation of the • People who are homeless application. Non dependants are (within the meaning of Housing advised to make their own Act 1996) application. www.slough.gov.uk 3
Who cannot join • Applicant(s) who have a joint gross household income the housing register exceeding £55,000 • Applicants or members of their The council has decided that the household that have over following applicant(s) or any £20,000 in savings, investments person included on the application or equity do not qualify for an allocation of • Applicants who have refused housing and cannot join the one suitable offer of a secure (or housing register: introductory), assured or one of • Applicants or members of their an assured short hold tenancy household who have not had a • Applicants, or members of their fixed address in the borough of household, that have any Slough for a minimum of five housing related debt, including consecutive years up to and rent arrears or mortgage including the date of the arrears, in respect of their application or the date on which current property or previous a decision is made on the accommodation application whichever is the • Transfer tenants (from social later. Some exceptions to the housing) who have failed to five year qualification are maintain their homes, have detailed in the allocations policy caused damage to their home or • Applicants or any member of have breached the terms of their their household who own tenancy property including those who • Applicants, or members of their have gifted property household who own any • Those who have been found property or have exercised a guilty of unacceptable council Right to Buy scheme behaviour serious enough to within the past 10 years make them unsuitable to be a • Applicants, or members of their council or housing association household who have been tenant at the time of the placed into Slough by any other application local authority 4 www.slough.gov.uk
How priority is awarded Applicants on the housing register will be placed into one of three bands. Band A Urgent or exceptional need to move Need move due to reasonable preference and additional Band B preference Band C Need to move due to reasonable preference Band A Urgent preference Urgent Where an applicant, or any member of his or her medical household, has a life threatening illness or disability and the accommodation occupied poses an immediate and exceptional risk of serious harm Urgent Where an applicant or any member of his or her welfare household requires urgent re-housing as a result of violence or threats, including intimidated witnesses and those escaping serious anti-social behaviour or domestic violence Insanitary Where the local authority has served a demolition or prohibition order under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System where category 1 hazards exist and cannot be rectified and continuing to occupy the accommodation will pose a significant and immediate risk to health Exceptional Special cases that cannot be covered in this scheme case Severe over Where an applicant is in severely overcrowded crowding accommodation which poses a serious health hazard and that housing need cannot be met by other options, such as renting in the private sector. The property occupied must be insufficient by at least three bedrooms, as per the standard that the council uses to allocate property www.slough.gov.uk 5
Decants Slough Borough Council tenants who are required to move due to the redevelopment of their homes or where major works are required Succession Slough Borough Council tenants who have succeeded to a tenancy and the property is too large for their needs Homeless Agreed statutory homeless cases in temporary accommodation where there is an urgent need to free up accommodation Band B Additional preference Under Social housing tenants in Slough occupying a home in occupation demand and willing to accept a smaller home Foster/ Approved two year record of fostering/adoption by SBC adoption Armed Armed forces applicants with housing need as set out in forces section 166A (3) of the Housing Act 1996 as amended Family Engagement with the council’s troubled families programme programme Leaving care Leaving residential care Care leavers Relevant and eligible children leaving care Reasonable Community contribution: working households - work preference: must be in the UK. Applicants must fulfil a minimum of 16 working hours per week if a single applicant or 24 hours per week if a joint applicant. This must also be for a continuous period of six months up to the point of application and the same at the point of offer 6 www.slough.gov.uk
Reasonable Community contribution: Study or training - must be in preference: the UK, be work related and lead to a recognised work qualification training Applicants must fulfil a minimum of 16 hours per week if a single applicant or 24 hours per week if a joint applicant. This must also be for a continuous period of six months up to the point of application and the same at the point of offer Reasonable Community contribution: Volunteering - must be on a preference: formal basis and for an organisation accredited by the volunteering Slough Council for Voluntary Services Applicants must fulfil a minimum of 16 hours per week if a single applicant or 24 hours per week if a joint applicant. This must also be for a continuous period of six months up to the point of application and the same at the point of offer Right to Social housing tenants exercising the right to move and Move meeting the criteria set out in the allocations policy Medical Where a medical condition or disability is severe and remaining in the accommodation will contribute to a deterioration in health Homeless Qualifying households awarded a reasonable preference under the Housing Act Part V11 s.193(2) Key worker As per council key worker scheme www.slough.gov.uk 7
Band C Reasonable preference Homeless Non-qualifying households awarded a reasonable preference under the Housing Act Part V11 s.193(2) Locality Some need to move for welfare reasons including the need to live in a locality to avoid hardship where no other solution is available Over Overcrowding means the property is insufficient by one crowding bedroom of the standard the council uses to allocate property Sharing Applicants sharing kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities with a separate household. Applicants who choose to sublet their home will not be considered Hostel Applicants living in supported hostel accommodation Homeless: Applicants assessed as non statutory homeless non statutory The housing panel considers unless the clients GP, consultant or awarding an urgent preference to health professional can those in an urgent housing need demonstrate, through evidence, where no other housing solution that this client can benefit more can be found. than any other. Applications received through this The panel may also take qualified route must demonstrate urgent medical opinion when required. need and will not be discussed 8 www.slough.gov.uk
Making an offer The council will also make enquiries with third party of housing organisations to verify the information on applications. Offers are made to those who have References and/or credit checks been waiting the longest in each may be sought. Applicants who are band. Consideration will be given to unable to provide any information applicants in higher priority bands. requested or whose circumstances have changed will be removed When a property becomes from the housing register and/or available which is particularly placed in the relevant band. suitable for an individual applicant who has specific needs or to If the council is unable to contact effectively match available housing an applicant, using contact details stock it may be allocated to them provided, within 24 hours even if they are not at the top of (excluding weekends) the the housing register. application will be cancelled. Any potential offer that may have been New affordable social housing made will be counted as a refusal. developments may require a policy to enable a balanced and Applicants nearing the top of the sustainable community. This local housing register may be invited to lettings policy will be aimed at multiple viewings on vacancies. If social households opting to the offer is declined by the first downsize. applicant then it will be offered to the next person on the list until the Applicants well positioned for an property is accepted. offer of housing may be visited at home to confirm that the If an applicant is unable to respond information given to the council is to any deadline in accepting an correct. offer then it will count as a refusal. Second viewings are not normally Original documents will be verified considered. and suitability to be a council or housing association tenant will be confirmed. www.slough.gov.uk 9
The property size that will be Any applicant who rejects one allocated for a particular suitable offer that would have household will be assessed reasonably met housing need will according to the following be removed from the housing guidelines and will be based only register. on the actual household An applicant may re apply to join composition. The council uses the the register after a minimum Government’s bedroom standard period of 24 months. Any future for housing benefit. application will be assessed It is recommended that applicants according to the eligibility criteria. confirm any housing benefit entitlement when accepting a property. Renewing Applicants are entitled to a applications bedroom each for the following groups: The council will periodically ask that an application is re assessed • Single or co-habiting couple to ensure that the eligibility and • Any child over the age of qualification criteria are met and 16 years the correct priority band is • Any two children of the same awarded. sex under the age of 16 years If a renewal request is not returned • Any two children any sex aged within one calendar month then under 10 the application will be cancelled. No reminder will be sent and any • A resident care worker late responses will not be • A disabled child who cannot considered. share a bedroom 10 www.slough.gov.uk
Changes in Appeals circumstance and reviews The council must be notified if An applicant can request a review there are any household changes of the following that may affect an application. A • The assessment of an new application form must be application completed. • The priority awarded or decision The application will be re assessed to reduce priority and any extra priority may be removed and/or the application • The cancellation of an removed from the register. application Applicants who fail to notify the • The suitability of any offer made council of any changes may be • The housing panel decision prosecuted. The senior reviewing officer will conduct all reviews in relation to Cancelling eligibility to join the housing register, the assessment of an application applications, the suitability of any offer made and any other facts An application will be cancelled relating to the allocation of under the following circumstances accommodation. • If an applicant is re housed The request for a review must be • If an applicant fails to respond to made within 21 days of the original review letters or to officer decision. contact requests The service lead for strategic • If an applicant is no longer housing services will conduct any eligible or qualifies review relating to a decision made by the housing needs panel. • At an applicant’s request www.slough.gov.uk 11
The council aims to respond to a review request within 56 days. There is no further right to a review of a decision. If an applicant remains dissatisfied they may seek independent legal advice or they may then take their case to the Housing Ombudsman. The council’s formal complaints process cannot be used to further challenge a decision already subject to an independent review. Complaints If an applicant is unhappy about the service they receive then the council has a three stage procedure for dealing with complaints. Details of the complaint procedure can be found on the council website or at the council offices. Complaints that are not resolved using this procedure can be referred to the Local Government Ombudsman. 12 www.slough.gov.uk
This document can be made available on audio tape, braille or in large print, and is also available on the website where it can easily be viewed in large print. Housing Allocation Housing AllocationScheme Scheme2018-2022 2013-2018- How the scheme works If you would like assistance with the translation of the information in this document, please ask an English speaking person to request this by calling 01753 475111. 01753 475111 01753 475111 01753 475111 01753 475111 01753 475111 Designed and printed by Slough Borough Council | | BH/4641/27-04-18 www.slough.gov.uk
You can also read