Choice Based Lettings Strategy Wakefield City and Rural
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Choice Based Lettings Strategy Wakefield City and Rural delivering promises, improving lives Choice Based Lettings Strategy Wakefield City and Rural Contents Introduction ..............................................................................................3 Alverthorpe...............................................................................................5 Belle Vue..................................................................................................7 Bretton .....................................................................................................9 City Centre .............................................................................................10 Darnley...................................................................................................12 Eastmoor................................................................................................13 Hall Green..............................................................................................17 Kettlethorpe............................................................................................19 Kirkhamgate...........................................................................................21 Moorhouse .............................................................................................22 Notton ....................................................................................................24 Outwood.................................................................................................25 Peacock .................................................................................................27 Primrose Hill...........................................................................................29 Sandal....................................................................................................31 Stanley ...................................................................................................32 Walton....................................................................................................34 Woolley ..................................................................................................36 Wrenthorpe ............................................................................................37 delivering promises, improving lives Introduction Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) will ensure that its housing stock is used effectively to meet the diverse needs of residents of all communities and that its Local Lettings Policy actively assists in the formation of stable, sustainable communities. The aim of the Wakefield and District Housing Homesearch Lettings Scheme is to offer our customers choice in meeting their housing requirements, while recognising that for some properties preference will be given to certain groups to ensure that best use is made of the social housing. Wakefield and District Housing will ensure that the housing stock is utilised in the most effective way, so as to meet the needs of the whole community, including those who are most vulnerable or are at risk of social exclusion. In order to allocate empty homes in a way that offers choice, meets people needs, and promotes the development of sustainable and balanced communities WDH will operate localised policies. These policies will ensure that we are able to develop communities in which people choose to live. The Local Lettings Strategy will: • Be fair, none discriminatory and meet the requirements of Regulatory Codes. • Not disrupt the organisations ability to meet the housing needs of the district. • Take account of the differing types of accommodation available within each area. • Take account of Wakefield and District Housings charitable objectives. • Ensure that best use is made of the housing stock. The localised letting policies will enable WDH to ensure that the estates are managed more effectively and we can develop an area with a well-balanced social mix. We will also be able to provide support to vulnerable tenants in order to ensure that their tenancies are successful and they quickly become integrated into the community. The policies will also encompass our ability to target estate management, Policing, and partners’ resources in a much more comprehensive way. By introducing and effectively managing these policies we will be creating a cohesive community, which will, in turn, reduce anti social behaviour and deprivation. delivering promises, improving lives Bedroom Standard When assessing a property to see if it is a suitable size for a member of Homesearch the Bedroom Standard will be applied. No offers of accommodation will be made where the family size exceeds the Bedroom standard when applied to a property. The Bedroom Standard is based on the ages and composition of the family. A notional number of bedrooms is allocated to each household in accordance with its composition by age, sex and marital status and relationships of family members. A separate bedroom is allocated to each of the following. • Married or cohabiting couple. • Adult aged 21 years or more, • Pair of adolescents aged 10 to 20 years of the same sex. • Pair of children aged under 10 years regardless of sex Any unpaired person aged 10 to 20 years is paired, if possible, with a child aged under 10 years of the same sex or, if that is not possible given a separate bedroom. The same applies to any unpaired child aged under 10 years. This standard is then compared with the number of bedrooms available for the sole use of the household. Definition of a bedroom For the purposes of measuring overcrowding it is important that the following definition of bedroom is used. • Any room that, when built, was intended to be a bedroom is included even if it is not used as such at present and even if it does not have a bed in it. It must have a window. Bedrooms converted to other uses are included unless it has been converted for medical equipment / care; bedrooms not in use are included unless they are uninhabitable. • There must be at least one bedroom. Bedsitters, box rooms and attic bedrooms are included. • Living or parlour rooms or other areas of the house / flat that are used for sleeping, are not included unless they have been adapted to be used as a bedroom. • A simple check is, if the accommodation were put up for sale, how many bedrooms would the owner claim it had? delivering promises, improving lives Chain Lettings All advertised properties made available as a result of an under occupying WDH tenant being rehoused will be preferenced to WDH tenants who have been awarded priority for overcrowding or under occupation. Definition of ‘underoccupying WDH tenant’ ‘underoccupying WDH tenants’ means Homesearch members who have been given Band A or B ‘Under Occupation’. Please refer to the Choice Based Lettings Policy for an explanation of when these Bands are awarded. Advertising Vacancies will initially be advertised in accordance with the following preference policies. However if this does not result in an appropriate allocation the vacancy may then be allocated/advertised as deemed appropriate by the Area Housing Manager in conjunction with the LMC chair. Health and Safety Due to fire risk - WDH will operate a zero tolerance policy to mobility scooters in common areas of low or high rise blocks of flats. No mobility scooters will be allowed to be stored in these blocks. Please contact your local area housing office for more details. delivering promises, improving lives Lettings Preference Policy Properties All Expressions of interest are welcome from with 2 or more those requiring the adaptations and adaptations facilities specific to this property and applicants who meet the criteria set out in the individual local lettings policy. Preference will be given to people who have been assessed by a member of the Special Needs Rehousing team as requiring the adaptations and facilities specific to this property. Bungalows One bedroom Couples and singles. General Need Age 50 and over, with preference to those with an assessed medical need if the property is suitable then those aged 60 or over or under occupying WDH tenants where applicable. Two bedroom Couples, singles, shared households and applicants with one dependant aged 16 or over. Age 50 and over, with preference to those with an assessed medical need if the property is suitable then those aged 60 or over or under occupying WDH tenants where applicable. Three bedroom Families with one to four children Preference given to families with an assessed medical need if the property is suitable. Bungalows One bedroom Subject to an Independent Living Independent Assessment Living Couples and singles. Preference given to age 60 and over, then those with an assessed medical need and then in descending age order. Two bedroom Subject to an Independent Living Assessment Couples and singles. Preference given to age 60 and over, then those with an assessed medical need and then in descending age order. Flats One bedroom Couples and singles. General Need Preference given to under occupying WDH tenants where applicable. Ground floor – Preference to those with an assessed medical need if the property is suitable then applicants aged 60 or over or under occupying WDH tenants where applicable Choice Based Lettings – Wakefield City and Rural 1 Two bedroom Couple, singles, shared households and applicants with one dependent 16 or over. Preference given to under occupying WDH tenants where applicable. Ground floor – Preference to those with an assessed medical need