Minutes:
Yvonne Fox, Assistant Director of Housing, gave a verbal update on the implementation of a new member Allocations Policy and the numbers of people in each band on the housing register, covering the following main points:
· There were 1,222 active applications on the housing register.
· 329 of these were requests for transfers.
· 893 were classified as housing regulation applications.
· There was a very high demand for four-bedroomed properties.
· 1 bedroomed properties were also in high demand.
· Numbers of People in House Bands:
Ø Band 1: 216
Ø Band 2: 337
Ø Band 3: 1,069
· 146 properties in total had been let this year to date.
· 110 one bedroomed properties had been let.
· 1 four bedroomed property had been let.
· The remaining properties let were two or three bedroomed properties.
· The majority of voids properties were one bedroomed.
· There was a slow trickle of family houses with demand far outstripping supply.
· 22 people in Band A were in overcrowded accommodation, with only 1 four bedroomed house having been let.
· Last quarter there had been 124 lets and 146 as of 1 August 2021.
· 28% of the requests for lettings were applications for transfers.
· 13.7% were housing regulation applications
· 58% of requests for lettings were clients either homeless or at risk of homelessness.
· A minimum of 25% transfer applications must be maintained to allow ‘good’ tenants the ability to move house should circumstances change.
· The Housing Directorate was still under government direction to give priority to homeless people or people at risk of homelessness.
· There were 20 cases today in temporary accommodation.
· Void repairs on properties were awaited.
· 25 people had been matched to a property when it became available.
· 13 people needed a match to be achieved.
· The Directorate was under pressure in terms of homelessness and was bound by law to work to legislation.
· We needed to give preference to homeless cases and 25% transfer allocations to operate within legislation.
Members discussed the content of the verbal report in further detail. The following questions and comments emerged:
· Question: If a person was made homeless and couldn’t be placed, where did they go?
· Response: The majority of homeless people were housed in private rented accommodation or supported accommodation. Temporary accommodation may be provided if required, perhaps through NOMAD or YMCA housing association.
· Question by Chair: Was it possible to receive the above data in writing in order it could be scrutinised every six months?
· Response: These figures would be circulated to members of Housing Scrutiny Sub Committee.
· Question: Did the definition of homeless people include rough sleepers?
· Response: Yes, Rough sleepers were included in this group and were allocated accommodation in line with policy.
· Question: A number of properties offered to clients were not accepted first time round. Why was this?
· Response: 78% of properties were accepted first time. There were specific reasons why properties were turned down, for example, if they were close to someone needing to flee violence. Sometimes people changed their minds after viewing the property. The reasons for refusal were monitored and any issues flagged up at Voids meetings.
· Question: Some people moving into a property for the first time may be paying more rent than their neighbours next door having been a tenant for some time. What was the difference in rent between first time tenants and existing tenants?
· Response: The difference between rental costs varied according to property components. It could be as little as 50p or £5 dependent on the size of the property and local amenities.
RESOLVED that:
1. Further written detail on the figures relating to the Allocations Policy and the numbers of people in each band on the housing register be provided to members of Housing Scrutiny Sub Committee.
2. The content of the officers’ verbal report be noted.