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Home-Options Policy

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Home-Options Policy Home-Options Policy Choice-based Lettings Scheme in partnership with Page 1 of 74 Derbyshire & Staffordshire Moorlands Home-Options Partnership, c/o Community Housing Team, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, DE4 3NN This policy relates to the management of the housing register and the allocation of tenancies in Amber Valley, Derbyshire Dales, Erewash and High Peak. The management of the housing register and the allocation of tenancies in Staffordshire Moorlands are covered by the Staffordshire Moorlands Home-Options Policy. Page 2 of 74 Derbyshire & Staffordshire Moorlands Home-Options Partnership, c/o Community Housing Team, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, DE4 3NN 1. Contents 1. Contents .............................................................................................................. 3 2. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 7 (i) Overview ....................................................................................................... 7 (ii) How the Home-Options scheme works ......................................................... 8 (iii) Award of tenancies through Home-Options .................................................. 8 3. The Legal Framework ........................................................................................ 11 (i) Overview ..................................................................................................... 11 (ii) Reviewing the Home-Options Policy ........................................................... 12 4. Equality and Diversity Statement ....................................................................... 13 5. Registration ....................................................................................................... 14 (i) Overview ..................................................................................................... 14 (ii) Documentation required for entry onto the Housing Register ..................... 14 (iii) Validation of Applications ............................................................................ 15 (iv) Eligibility and Qualification to join the Housing Register .............................. 15 (v) Eligibility to join the Home-Options register ................................................. 16 (vi) Qualification to join the Home-Options register ........................................... 17 (iv) Sixteen and seventeen year old applicants ................................................. 25 (v) Applicants applying from prison or institutional care ................................... 25 (vi) Entry onto the Housing Register ................................................................. 26 (vii) Removal from the Housing Register ........................................................... 26 (viii) Pending Applications ............................................................................... 27 (ix) Priority Date ................................................................................................ 28 6. Local Connection ............................................................................................... 29 (i) Overview ..................................................................................................... 29 (ii) Local connection and shortlisting ................................................................ 30 Page 3 of 74 Derbyshire & Staffordshire Moorlands Home-Options Partnership, c/o Community Housing Team, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, DE4 3NN 7. Priority on the Housing Register ........................................................................ 32 (i) Prioritising applicants .................................................................................. 32 (ii) Additional Preference for Armed Forces ..................................................... 32 (iii) Explanation of Priority Reasons – Band A .................................................. 34 (iv) Explanation of Priority Reasons – Band B .................................................. 36 (v) Explanation of Priority Reasons – Band C .................................................. 40 (vi) Explanation of Priority Reasons – Band D .................................................. 43 8. Choice for applicants ......................................................................................... 45 (i) What applicants can bid for ......................................................................... 45 (ii) Household eligibility .................................................................................... 46 (iii) Applications from households including a pregnant woman ........................ 48 (iv) Dependent children ..................................................................................... 48 (v) Additional bedrooms required on joint access grounds ............................... 48 (vi) Approved foster parents awaiting placement .............................................. 48 (vii) Additional bedrooms required on medical grounds ..................................... 49 (viii) Household size preference ...................................................................... 49 9. Advertising available homes .............................................................................. 49 (i) Property designation ................................................................................... 49 (ii) Property adverts .......................................................................................... 50 (iii) Age-designated accommodation ................................................................. 51 (v) Level-access accommodation ..................................................................... 51 (iv) Adapted properties ...................................................................................... 51 (v) Local lettings policies .................................................................................. 51 (vi) Registered providers ................................................................................... 52 (vii) Extracare Schemes ..................................................................................... 52 (viii) Direct lets ................................................................................................. 53 (ix) ‘Available Now’ properties ........................................................................... 53 Page 4 of 74 Derbyshire & Staffordshire Moorlands Home-Options Partnership, c/o Community Housing Team, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, DE4 3NN 10. Bidding and selection ..................................................................................... 54 (i) Expressions of interest (bidding) ................................................................. 54 (ii) The selection process ................................................................................. 54 (iii) Viewing a property ...................................................................................... 56 (iv) Change of circumstances ............................................................................ 56 (v) Applicants who fail to bid ............................................................................. 56 (vi) Assisted bidding .......................................................................................... 56 (vii) Selection with preference given to household size ...................................... 57 11. Offers and refusals ......................................................................................... 59 (i) Pre-tenancy checks ..................................................................................... 59 (ii) Not responding to offer letters or attending viewings .................................. 59 (iii) Refusal following a bid ................................................................................ 59 (iv) Affordability ................................................................................................. 60 (v) Feedback on let properties .......................................................................... 60 (vi) Other linked schemes and housing options ................................................ 60 12. Homeless applicants ...................................................................................... 61 13. Home-Options Review Procedure .................................................................. 62 14. Appendices ..................................................................................................... 64 Appendix 1: Habitual residence ............................................................................ 64 Appendix 2: Local Connection – Section 199, Housing Act 1996 ......................... 68 Appendix 3: The Right to Move ............................................................................ 69 Appendix 4: Processing of Home-Options Applications & Decision Making ......... 71 Appendix 5: Criteria for Local Lettings Policies ..................................................... 73 Appendix 6: Procedure for Oral Hearing at Review Panel .................................... 74 Page 5 of 74 Derbyshire & Staffordshire Moorlands Home-Options Partnership, c/o Community Housing Team, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Town Hall, Bank Road, Matlock, DE4 3NN Document Revision Date Author(s) Change Reference Version 13.0 Final 1 January Phil Final document.
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