LEAFLET 62 TRANSFER HOUSING POLICY SUMMARY Streszczenie polityki w zakresie transferu mieszkań
This leaflet can be provided in other formats, such as large print, Braille or audio. We welcome calls through typetalk For further information call 0800 5870211 Page 2 of 16
We aim to make best use of our properties and create and maintain balanced, sustainable communities through our housing policies. We would like residents to have the home that best suits their needs. As these needs change you may need to move to another of our properties. We have a transfer policy to help you move. Below is how our vacancies are split between different the lists: Housing list 40% of our vacant properties are let through the Housing List, which includes the Local Authority nomination agreements detailed in this pack. Transfer list We have to take into consideration existing residents who wish to transfer. Therefore 40% of our remaining vacancies are offered to transfer residents. Other groups list 20% of vacant properties are let through this list, which includes Management Lettings. The transfer list We assess transfer requests using a points system which reflects your housing needs. We encourage transfer requests to deal with overcrowding, the need to give or receive family support and for under occupation. Page 3 of 16
We will consider transfer requests to help victims of harassment and violence. We call these Management Transfers. We do not assess these using the points scheme. If you wish to transfer you should have had a minimum of 6 months as a tenant in your current property before we would normally consider a transfer request unless there is a severe medical need or urgent need for a Management Transfer. You should normally have a clear rent account and owe no other housing related debt to us at the date the transfer takes place. You should normally have kept your tenancy satisfactorily and have kept the property in a clean and reasonable condition. If a Notice of Seeking Possession (NOSP) or a Suspended Possession Order (SPO) has been served for a breach of tenancy, and is still in force, we would not normally allow a transfer until the conditions of the NOSP or SPO have been satisfied. It is a condition of the transfer that on leaving the property it should be in a satisfactory decorative condition, without any repairs for which you are responsible. Medical points will not be added to your application unless you can provide supporting evidence eg GP letter or evidence from a suitably qualified person. We will suspend a registration from the housing list where there has been/previously a proven breach of tenancy Each case will be treated on its own merits and the breach of tenancy will be considered alongside your housing needs, using the housing list policy for guidance. We will review each case after 12 months Page 4 of 16
Management lettings In exceptional circumstances, where no other housing solution is possible, the Trust would consider a Management Letting. The Director of Housing and Community Services would be allowed, after discussing the case with the Chair of the JRHT Board, to offer a management letting. These cases would be in exceptional circumstances where no other housing solution is possible where an applicant s circumstances are such that they need urgent housing, and no alternative housing solution is possible under the points based Waiting List scheme. Management Lettings would be considered in the following circumstances: severe harassment severe violence urgent social reasons urgent medical reasons Where the request was for urgent medical reasons the following criteria will apply: 1. Where there is an immediate high risk of injury or death if the family remained in their current home or 2. Where there is an immediate high risk of family breakdown or mental illness if the family remain in their current home and the only solution would be an urgent move from their current home. All medical request cases must be supported by appropriate agencies. Page 5 of 16
Offers of accommodation and refusals of offers Applicants are limited to 3 reasonable offers of accommodation within a 24 month period after which their application will be suspended for 12 months. A reasonable offer is: In the applicant s area of choice A property type and size that meets the applicant s needs Takes account of any specific circumstances of the applicant Applicants are given an opportunity to appeal against what is considered to be a reasonable offer. At the point an applicant refuses their third offer of accommodation, before the refusal is accepted, they will be visited and advised of the implications of that third refusal; this will present an opportunity to discuss your application for re-housing in more detail with a member of JRHT staff. Property modernisation programme: transfers Where we are carrying out substantial modernisation of your home, we may need you to move out to allow us to carry out the work. This move may be on a temporary or a permanent basis. Transfers to another property to help with capital works programmes are given priority. What type of accommodation can I choose? We would consider the following as suitable: Single Person Couple (no children) Family with children Studio apartment or a 1 bedroom Flat/ Bungalow/Maisonette 1 bedroom Flat/ Maisonette/Bungalow 2/3/4/5 bedroom House, Maisonette or Bungalow Page 6 of 16
Pregnant applicants will be considered for accommodation suitable for the family composition, including the expected child(ren). We will consider you for a property that has one more bedroom than you need if you request it. However we retain the right to prioritise our list for larger properties where appropriate to make the best match of property size with household size, ie an applicant with 3 children may take priority for a 3 bedroom house over an applicant with only 1 child A single person or a couple with no children would not be eligible for a house. Applicants who are pregnant will be considered for accommodation suitable for their family composition, which will include the expected child(ren). Families with children UNDER the age of 10 years old will not be considered for accommodation (flat or maisonette) above the ground floor. Transfer scheme points details Category Description Points Overcrowding Special considerations We consider that a separate bedroom is necessary for: a. each couple living together 20 b. a parent in a single parent family 20 c. each adult aged 18 or over 20 d. each child aged 11 or over having to 20 share with a child of the opposite sex e. each person considered medically to need a separate bedroom 20 f. 2 children sharing parents bedroom 30 these points are awarded as well as points for a-e Page 7 of 16
Category Description Points Points will only be awarded for your household, excluding lodgers, subtenants Living at height A maximum of 10 points is awarded in this category These points will be awarded to families who have a child under the age of 11 living in a first floor flat (or above) with a common entrance. 10 Medical need a. Part of the home cannot be used 15 because of ill health or disability. (the "unsuitable part must be essential living accommodation: that is bathroom/ toilet/ kitchen/ bedroom) Registrations under this section must be supported by a Doctor s confirmation. b. If we are satisfied that you or anyone included in your registration is in poor health, which is made worse by where you live, medical points can be awarded up to a maximum of 35 points Registrations under this section must be supported by a medical assessment form (supplied by JRHT). 5-35 Older people a. Applicants over pensionable age living above the ground floor without the use of a lift b. Health problems or disability prevents maintenance or upkeep of the current home or garden 10 Page 8 of 16
Category Description Points Under occupation JRHT tenancy points Social need Points will be awarded for moving to a smaller property. We will award 5 points for each complete 12-month period of JRHT tenancy (or from the date of succession/ assignation), the applicant has occupied their current property before the date of making the transfer registration. Points will be awarded in only one category (a-c) with points from d if appropriate. We will award points to take into account other housing related problems or needs: 40 5 per complete 12 month period a. sufferers of domestic violence * 15 b. sufferers of racial or other harassment (including serious neighbour disputes) * c. moving from one JRHT estate to another to take up employment in the area 15 15 d. special considerations 5-15 * Where possible the above should be supported by confirmation from social services, police, doctor, landlord. Family separation Note 1 Points will be awarded where children have to live separately from both their parents because of overcrowding 10 Page 9 of 16
A bedroom under 50-sq. ft will not be counted as accommodation and will be treated as if not available for use. A bedroom under 80-sq. ft will only be suitable for the use of one person. If 2 or more people occupy it 20 points will be awarded as if the room is suitable for use by one person. Note 2 We do not award points for the length of time you are registered on the transfer list HomeSwapper A Mutual Exchange is an easy option for existing tenants to move homes. We are pleased to inform you that we have joined HomeSwapper, a mutual exchange service. As a valued tenant you are able to use this service for FREE to help you find a new home. A mutual exchange or swap may offer you a quicker way of finding a new home rather than waiting for a transfer. HomeSwapper is easy to use and automatically matches you with tenants who are interested in your home and have a home that you may be interested in. All you need to do is register at www.homeswapper.co.uk then, once your registration has been approved by us, you will be able to access information about tenants who may wish to exchange properties with you. HomeSwapper will also email you at regular intervals with details of suitable exchange partners. If you do not have access to the internet, HomeSwapper will send you match alerts via your mobile phone every two weeks. If you do not have a computer at home there are other ways for you to register and access the HomeSwapper website; Page 10 of 16
Family or friends Local libraries have internet access available to the public, as well as internet cafes Once you have found a mutual exchange, then please contact us on 0800 5870211 and we will send you a Mutual Exchange Request form to complete. You cannot assign (exchange) until we have given you our written consent. Once we have received your fully completed written request form we have 42 days to deal with your request. During that period we will either: 1. Give our written consent to your exchange request; or 2. Give our written conditional consent to your exchange request a. We will tell you what these conditions are and what you have to do; or 3. Write advising that our consent is being withheld (your request refused) a. We will tell you why you cannot assign (exchange) your tenancy The terms and conditions of exchanging tenancies are as follows: Tenancies are usually exchanged by a Deed of Assignment. We will deal with your request to exchange within 42 days of receiving your written request. We will only refuse consent for you to exchange under one of the grounds contained in Schedule 3 of the Housing Act 1985. Page 11 of 16
Providing the following conditions are met it is unlikely that we would refuse your request to exchange: you have consent in writing from both us and any other landlord involved, before you move; you are not in arrears at the time of the exchange; you do not owe any other housing related debt to us; your tenancy has been conducted in a satisfactory mannerthere is not a Notice of Seeking Possession (NOSP) or Suspended Possession Order (SPO) currently in force; the exchange will not result in overcrowding or underoccupation* * one bedroom more than your family needs would be seen as under-occupation and you will need to be aware of the changes to Housing Benefit on this subject. You may have to pay for an extra bedroom under the new Housing Benefit Reform. You should check this with the Housing Benefit Department before making a final decision. if there has been a minor breach of tenancy, which you can easily correct, for example small arrears or minor damage to the property, we may give you conditional consent to exchange. If we agree to your request then all parties involved will need to agree a date for you to move. Before then you will need to sign a Deed of Assignment. You cannot move until you have signed this document. Page 12 of 16
We will maintain the structure and fittings of the property under the tenancy agreement. Tenants who exchange accept the property as seen. Any damage caused by the outgoing tenant becomes the responsibility of the incoming tenant, who is liable either to carry out, or pay for the repair. Other useful information Making a complaint It is our aim to provide good quality housing services. We take complaints seriously. If you are unhappy with how your registration has been dealt with you can complain using our complaints procedure. Diversity We are committed to providing equal access to our housing and aim to have policies and procedures that are non-discriminatory. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation/ Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust has its origins in the traditions of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and the liberal views of its founder. We believe in the inherent value of each human being. We aim to treat all people registering for a new home equally regardless of their: Race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or on other grounds. Confidentiality statement The information, which is supplied to us about a request for a new home, will be treated in the strictest confidence. You have the right to see the information, which we hold about your registration. To see this information you should contact : Page 13 of 16
Neighbourhood Services Manager The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust The Garth White Rose Avenue New Earswick York YO32 4TZ Page 14 of 16
Useful Contacts Neighbourhood Services Manager 01904 735012 Neighbourhood Services Team 01904 752924 01904 752922 01904 752916 01904 752921 Scarborough Neighbourhood Services Team 01723 365827 Scarborough.NST@jhrt.org.uk Hartlepool Neighbourhood Services Team 01429 855070 Hartlepool.nst@jrht.org.uk Money and Benefit Advisers 01904 735026 or 735025 Email information@jrht.org.uk Page 15 of 16
Residents Editorial Panel Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust The Garth White Rose Avenue New Earswick YORK YO32 4TZ Tel: 0800 5870211 We welcome calls through typetalk Fax: 01904 735001 Email: information@jrht.org.uk www.jrht.org.uk Updated April 2014 Page 16 of 16