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Changes to our Lettings Policy

Changes to our Lettings Policy

Over a period of several months we have worked closely with our residents, staff, trustees and applicants on our waiting list in the revision of our Lettings policy.

Unlike many of the other housing providers in the area, we have made a conscious decision not to go down the Choice Based Lettings route. After speaking to our residents and applicants through meetings and through a postal survey, they made it clear to us that Choice Based Lettings was not their preferred way of letting properties.

Why?
The new Choice Based system relies on applicants checking the press, websites or housing offices for adverts of empty properties and requires them ‘bidding’ for the properties they are interested in.

  • Many of our applicants have restricted mobility and are not able to get out and about to check which properties are empty.
  • Few own or have access to computers to access the internet.
  • Others felt that if they were away at a specific time they could miss the opportunity to apply for a property that they may have waited years for.

Whilst we have retained our points based system there were suggestions from these consultation events which prompted the following changes to our policy:

1 DAMHA homes are for those aged 50 years or over. Consideration is also given to older single persons or couples under the age of 50 where they require a bungalow due to disability. (Among our homes, the Association has a small number of three bedroom family bungalows (disabled) and three bedroom family houses. All lettings for these particular properties are allocated to the relevant local council who nominate applicants from their own waiting list).

2 Once we receive an application, an acknowledgement will be sent out within 10 working days.

3 Carers, with the appropriate carer’s allowance, living with one of our residents for a minimum of 6 consecutive months will not have an automatic right to succeed the licence to occupy where he or she owns or rents another property in their own right.

4 Where an applicant’s home is subject to a demolition order, they will be awarded 50 points.

5 Only those applicants aged 50 years or over will be awarded the time on the waiting list points of 2 per year.

6 Applicants who are deemed “non qualifying persons” will no longer be totally excluded from the waiting list. Instead each application will be considered on its merits and ‘deferred’ where deemed appropriate for a specific length of time, after which the applicant will be invited to apply again for review. The length of the deferment will be relative to the circumstance, being no less than 6 months and no more than 2 years. For serious cases where the applicant continues to pose a threat to the community then a further deferment period will be reapplied following a review. “Non qualifying persons” will fall into one or more of the following categories:

Category Deferment

i) Persons who have a record of 6 monthsrent arrears to local authorities or other landlords

ii) Persons convicted of a drug 12 monthsrelated offence

iii) Persons convicted of a criminal 24 months offence involving violence, who may be considered a threat to the local community

iv) Persons convicted of a sex related 24 monthsoffence who may be considered a threat to the local community

v) Persons convicted of a racially 18 months motivated offence

vi) Persons who have been abusive 24 months to, attacked or threatened the Association’s staff

vii)Persons who have left an 12 months Association property in serious disrepair and repair recharges are outstanding

viii)Persons who have left an 6 months Association property leaving arrears of maintenance contribution

7 The maximum of 12 colliery service points will now be awarded to those applicants with 50 or more years of service in the former Durham Coalfield. Mineworkers’ widows continue to be assessed on their late husbands’ colliery service.

8 Where there are 2 applicants with the same number of points and the same date of application, on turn for one of our homes then the applicant with the longest colliery service will have priority.

9 The appeals procedure has been revised for those applicants who feel that their application for accommodation has not been treated fairly. They should write to the Head of Housing, who will investigate the complaint and reply within 10 working days. If still not satisfied with the explanation the applicant should then write to the Chairman of the Association, who will arrange for an Appeals Panel comprising of Executive Committee Members to consider the appeal. This will be arranged within 4 weeks from the request to appeal. The appli- cant is able to make written or personal representation. If making personal representation he / she will have the right to bring someone to represent them. They will be notified of the outcome of their appeal in writing with in 5 working days. Applicants retain the right to take their appeal to the Independent Housing Ombudsman once they have exhausted DAMHA’s appeals process.

A big thank you to all our residents and waiting list applicants who took the time and effort to come along to our meetings or completed the postal survey. Your views are most important to us and helped formulate theses changes that have now been incorporated into our Lettings Policy.