Wrexham County Borough Council

Lettings Policy

Accommodation Designated For Older Persons

This document outlines the policy that County Borough Council will follow when letting properties that are designated for older persons. There is scope for the policy to be extended in the future when particular areas or properties are identified as being suitable for older persons in terms of estate management and lettings. This policy forms a supplementary document to the general policy for letting Council accommodation and should be read in conjunction with it.

The Housing Act 1996 (amended by the Homelessness Act 2002), requires local authorities to have a written policy that determines the priorities and the procedures to be followed in letting housing. Whilst reasonable preference must be given to defined groups, section 167(2E)/[s.16(3)] enables authorities to let properties to people of a particular description where there is a clear need for the approach and provided that they do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race or disability.

Wrexham County Borough’s revised lettings policy for Council housing, which was approved in January 2007, makes reference to the letting of accommodation suitable for older people:- “Throughout the County Borough there are a number of properties which are considered to be suitable for older people due to social mix, location or type of property. Officers will normally consider applicants over 50 years of age for this accommodation or applicants with a physical disability who have a particular need for the type of accommodation available”.

1 Justification for a Local Lettings Policy

1.1 In some areas of Wrexham County Borough, there are no Council owned bungalows or sheltered units. In addition other areas have a very limited supply of properties suitable for older persons or people who are in need of ground floor accommodation due to a disability.

1.2 Traditionally, when there has been a shortage or lack of accommodation suitable for disabled people or older persons, blocks of flats or certain flats within a block have been set aside to accommodate them.

1.3 Suitably designed ground floor flats or blocks of flats close to amenities have traditionally been let to these groups of applicants. When this has been the case, there has been a need to let properties in the immediate vicinity in a sensitive manner to avoid management problems due to clashes of lifestyle etc.

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1.4 The aim of introducing a policy is to ensure that there is suitable accommodation, in the communities of their choice, for applicants who require it, to avoid problems that can be created by clashes of lifestyle and to formalise a current practice that is being carried out at Estate Offices to varying degrees.

1.5 This policy will be applied to flats only due to the current demand for Council houses.

2 Who is eligible?

2.1 The general policy for letting Council accommodation outlines who is eligible to join the housing register. In order to achieve the aims outlined above, additional criteria to those of the general policy for the letting of Council accommodation must be fulfilled to be eligible for properties designated as being suitable for older persons.

2.2 To be considered for this type of accommodation applicants must be at least 50 years of age or have a physical disability.

2.3 Applicants will have to confirm that the details supplied are true and correct and no false information is supplied. If the Council grants a tenancy on the basis of information that is false or misleading, legal action will be taken to repossess the property.

2.4 Where the criteria of the Council’s lettings policy are met but those specific to the properties covered by this policy are not met, applicants will be registered on the Council’s General Waiting List and considered for other accommodation managed by the Authority as appropriate.

3 How do people apply?

3.1 To be considered for this accommodation, applicants will apply for housing in the normal manner. The standard housing application form will need to be completed in full.

3.2 All forms and supporting evidence must be returned to the relevant Estate Office for processing.

3.3 In the case of joint applicants, both parties will supply all supporting evidence.

4 How will the application be processed?

4.1 All applications received will be assessed in terms of their: • eligibility to join the housing register • eligibility for properties covered by this policy

4.2 An application will be registered in accordance with the Council’s Policy for Letting Council Accommodation.

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4.4 If the applicant does not meet the age criteria, the applicant will be advised of the reason and will be advised to contact a Housing Officer at the relevant Estate Office to reconsider their lettings choices.

5 How are properties let?

5.1 When applicants have been accepted onto the list, they will be prioritised in housing need points order, the most highly pointed application being first on the list. Where two applicants have the same housing need points and the same support needs and all other factors are equal, the offer of accommodation will be made to the applicant who has been waiting the longest.

5.2 If there are no applicants registered for re-housing who meet the criteria laid down in this policy, other applicants will be considered in age order, i.e., oldest applicants first, in accordance with staff procedures for the selection and approval of allocating accommodation suitable for older people to applicants under the age of 50.

Offers of accommodation

5.3 All offers of accommodation will be made in writing in accordance with the Policy for Letting Council Accommodation.

6 Equal Opportunities

6.1 The Welsh Assembly Government Code of Guidance on the Allocation of Accommodation and Homelessness reminds local authorities that local letting policies must not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race or disability. An equality impact assessment has been carried out on this policy, in accordance with Wrexham County Borough Council’s Corporate Equality Plan and will be monitored and evaluated to assess its impact upon different sections of the .

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PROPERTIES COVERED BY LOCAL LETTINGS POLICY FOR OLDER PERSONS

1. BROUGHTON ESTATE OFFICE:-

Edwards Avenue, : 27–43

Fron Las, : 18–25

Penygraig Road, Brymbo: 40 & 42

2. CAIA ESTATE OFFICE:-

Dale Street: 1, 3, 5, 7

Fenwick House: 1-13

Montgomery Road: 1-19 (Odd numbers only)

Montgomery Road: 121–131 (Odd numbers only)

3. ESTATE OFFICE:-

High Street, Gwersyllt: 23–45a

4. PLAS MADOC ESTATE OFFICE:-

Bower House, : 2-6

Cae’r Ysgol, : 1-6 & 19-22

Idwal, Plas Madoc: 19-26

Maes Derwydd, Acrefair: 1-8

Nant Glyn, : 4-9

Queens Square: 1-6

Wats Dyke View, : 1-16

Y Gamer, Glyn Ceiriog: 15, 16, 21-24

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5. RHOS ESTATE OFFICE:-

Cwm Glas, Johnstown: 1-57

6. WREXHAM CENTRAL ESTATE OFFICE:-

Acton Park Way, Acton: 9-16 & 34-40,

Cae’r Llew, Holt: 1-12

Coopers Close, : 1-7, 15, 19 , 31 & 33

Dean Road, Rhosnesni: 20–26 (Even numbers only)

Derwent Close, Acton: 1-8 & 20-27

Derwent Crescent, Acton: 14-22, 26, 30 & 34

Garden Road, : 1-8

Hazel Grove, Acton: 6-12 (Even numbers only)

Herbert Jennings Avenue, Acton: 147-161 (Odd numbers only)

Holt Road: 213-223 (Odd numbers only)

Lilac Way, Maesgwyn: 11-17 (Odd numbers only)

Lorne Street, Rhosddu: 1-9 & 15 (Odd numbers only)

Primrose Way, Maesgwyn: 18-24 (Even numbers only)

Radcliffe, Overton: 1-4

The Green, Little Acton: 18, 20 & 24

The Hollies, Rhosnesni: 6-18

Ti’r Parc, Rhosddu: 1-8

Trafalgar Close, Hightown: 2–12 (Even numbers only)

Gwydyr Way, Hightown: 2 – 24 (Even numbers only)

Waterloo Close, Hightown: 1-27

Huntroyde Avenue, Hightown: 2, 2a

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