Tenancy Strategy Consultation
For many years a tenancy with a social housing provider (Council or Housing Association) was usually thought of as a tenancy for life. Your need for housing was assessed when you applied for a home and the type and size of accommodation was allocated accordingly. If you paid your rent and followed the terms of your tenancy you were able to stay for as long as you wanted, even though throughout the duration of the tenancy the number of family members could change. As a result you could have an older couple living alone in a three bed house whilst a young family with children could be overcrowded in a one bed flat.
The current Government think that social landlords should make better use of their housing to enable them to help as many people as possible live in housing that meets their needs. As a result they are allowing them to introduce fixed term tenancies that they think will last for at least 2 years and in most cases will be granted for five years at a time. At the end of the fixed term the landlord will make sure that the home is still suitable and needed by the people living there. If it is then another tenancy will be granted, if not then tenants will be helped to find something that is more appropriate.
The Government have also introduced a new type of tenancy called 'affordable rent'. Affordable rented properties can be offered by some social housing providers who are developing new housing. In most cases the rent charged will be more than the usual rent for social housing and can be up to 80% of rents that are charged for similar privately rented properties. The rents can be charged on both new properties and some existing properties when they are re-let.
As part of these changes Council’s are being asked to produce a tenancy strategy. This is a document that tells landlords what sort of things they need to think about when deciding what length and what type of tenancy to grant, and how they should manage the review at the end of the fixed term.
To help develop the strategy it is important to understand what those on the housing register think. We recently carried out a survey of housing register applicants which will now feed into the Council's tenancy strategy.
The new strategy will be considered by Cabinet in early June and the draft strategy will be available within the Cabinet papers shortly.
Frequently Asked Questions (6)
We can only nominate applicants for a Housing Association property if there is a vacancy that the Housing Association has told the council it can have.
Nominations to Housing Association properties will only be made to applicants who are next on the Housing Register for the property and who have said they would consider a Housing Association property.
As soon as essential repairs and maintenance have been completed and the property is ready to let, Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing will contact you to arrange an accompanied viewing and a sign up date.
If an applicant refuses 2 reasonable offers of accommodation (see the council’s for more detailed information), you will lose your 100 priority points for 12 months. During this time you are unlikely to get another offer of accommodation
If you have been accepted as homeless and you refuse a reasonable offer of accommodation, the council will no longer have a duty to house you and will make no further offers of accommodation.
However, you will be placed on the council’s Housing Register and will receive further offers of accommodation subject to the council’s .
The following Housing Associations have low cost home ownership (shared ownership) schemes in Charnwood:
- Advance Housing & Support
- De Montfort Housing Society Ltd
- East Midlands Housing Association
- Metropolitan Housing Trust
- Nottingham Community Housing Association
Click on the following link for more information Low Cost Home Ownership.
All vacant properties require essential repairs and maintenance to get them ready for the new tenant/s. Some repairs may take longer than others so we are unable to say how long applicants will have to wait but Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing will let applicants know as soon the property is ready to let.
We do not normally redecorate homes before new tenants move in, although we may make an exception for tenants that are disabled or pensioners. However, you may be entitled to a decorating allowance in the form of decorating vouchers. The housing officer will discuss this with you when you sign up for your new tenancy.
Last updated: Tue 15th May, 2012 @ 12:33
