Devon Home Choice Residency Test

Nomination Agreement between Council & Registered Providers

The Torbay Home Choice Policy was amended from the 2nd April 2014 to include the following:

A 5 year residency test will be applied as part of the qualification criteria, requiring the applicant (or member of the applicant’s household) to have lived within Torbay for 5 years.

To ensure we maintain the protection provided by the statutory reasonable preference criteria and the statutory guidance.

Exceptions to the 5 year residency test will be:

 Any tenant of a DHC partner landlord is seen as having a connection to Devon and therefore will not be excluded from the Torbay Register.  Have family connections in Devon. The Local Government Association guidelines define this as immediate family members (parents, siblings and nondependent children) who have themselves lived in the area for five years.  Existing Social housing tenants in Devon who wish to downsize.  Members of the Armed Forces and former Service personnel, where the application is made within five years of discharge  Bereaved spouses and civil partners of members of the Armed Forces leaving Services Family Accommodation following the death of their spouse or partner  Serving or former members of the Reserve Forces who need to move because of a serious injury, medical condition or disability sustained as a result of their service  People who are assessed as being within the reasonable preference categories – Bands A , B , Emergency and High Housing Need, as per the DHC Policy. (This includes those fleeing violence and Statutorily Homeless Household)  Applicants requiring Sheltered Housing.  Applicants who need to move to work in Devon, where they would otherwise need to travel more than 30 miles (each way) from home to their place of work. Work will be defined as having permanent employment with a minimum of a 16- hour contract per week. Proof of employment will be required.  Existing social Housing tenants in England who need to move to take up an offer of work. (Additional criteria may apply).  Properties with section 106 planning conditions will continue to be let in-line with section 106 requirements and the Devon Home Choice policy.

Torbay Council will have a minimum of 50% nomination rights, however in reality all properties will be offered to Torbay Council unless the Registered Provider (RP) has a specific property they wish to withhold.

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The RP will continue to prepare all adverts, there will be a clear message stating that ‘Bidders will be prioritised in line with Torbay Council’s Allocation policy’ and the RP’s will shortlist off the current Devon Home Choice list ensuring they fit Torbay Council Allocation Criteria. These will be monitored and if it is found retrospectively that an offer has been made that does not adhere to Torbay Council Allocation Policy, this will not be considered to be a ‘nomination’ and as such the RP will pay for this advert.

Cost for all other adverts will initially be paid by the RP, who will inform Torbay Council of lets and financial cost on a monthly basis [Appendix 2], and then they will invoice Torbay Council retrospectively on a quarterly basis [Appendix 3].

If there are no qualifying bidders for an advertised property after one advert the RP will inform Torbay Council and following discussion the property may be offered to people who do not meet Torbay Council Allocation Policy in order of banding. As above, this would not be considered to be a ‘nomination’ and the RP will pay for the advert.

Both Torbay Council and RP will have named persons [Appendix 1] with direct phone numbers and e-mail addresses who lead on this agreement to ensure quick and easy resolution of any queries or concerns.

A QUARTERLY MEETING WILL BE HELD TO ENSURE THE PROCESS IS WORKING AND RESOLVE ANY ISSUES.

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Appendix 1 Named Persons and Contact Details

Sue Churchill Housing Options Manager 01803 208724 [email protected] Torbay Council Peter Shuttleworth Housing Options Team Leader [email protected] 01803 208712

Glenn Parker Policy Manager Devon & Housing [email protected] 01392 814581

Anita Morris South West Lettings Manager [email protected] General Enquiries: 0800 131 3348 Mobile:07767 356588 Sanctuary Housing Direct Dial: 01392 813423

Katie Neighborhood Services Manager [email protected] 01803 696196

Louise Jones Housing Manager Westward [email protected] 0300 1001015 07515 197061

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Appendix 2 Monthly Returns Monthly returns should be emailed to: [email protected]

Appendix 3 Invoices Invoices should be posted to:

FTAO: Sue Churchill Housing Options Service Town Hall Castle Circus Torquay TQ1 3DR

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