Void Management Policy

Policy Owner: Derrick Singleton Policy Author: Dominic Welch Date adopted: Review Date: Policy Statement Void Management Policy The purpose of this policy is to set out the way in which Medway Council s Housing Services will control and manage empty (void) properties within its stock. As the Housing Revenue Account s (HRA s) primary source of income is derived from rents, the Void Management Policy must ensure that procedures are in place that reduce the length of time that a property is empty, therefore minimising the amount of rental income lost. The policy will ensure a forward looking and strategic approach to void management that will: - minimise rent loss through reducing the length of the void period and void repair costs; set out Medway Council s Housing Services Lettable Standard ensuring that all staff, contractors and tenants are aware of exactly what condition the council expects of its empty properties; set in place systems for monitoring the standards of void properties and customer satisfaction with their new home. The policy, together with Medway Council s Housing Services Tenancy Management and Repair policies will guide staff in ensuring that tenants are aware of their repair responsibilities and end of tenancy obligations. It should be used in conjunction with the most recent housing needs survey and allocations policy to ensure that the stock is well used in a way that meets local demand in a fair and equitable way. Medway Council s Housing Services will review this policy on a bi-annual basis to ensure that its contents reflect current legislation and the latest examples of best practice in the field. Staff and tenants will be fully involved in the review process. 1 of 19

Supporting Documents External: Quality and Choice Decent Homes for All (2000), The Citizens Charter, The Housing Corporation s Regulatory Code and Guidance (3.2), Defective Premises Act 1972, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Internal: Tenancy management policy and procedure, Asset Management Strategy, Rechargeable repairs policy and procedure, Cyclical and planned maintenance policy, Choice based lettings policy and procedure, Allocations policy, Aids and adaptations policy and procedure, Gas servicing policy and procedures, The Housing Needs Survey, Rent Arrears and Former Tenant Debt Policy. Contents Page Ending Tenancies the start of the void process 3 Tenancy Termination Incentive Scheme 4 Right to Improve 5 Repairs to Void Properties 5 Inspection of the property 5 Repairs ordering 6 Works to void properties 7 Additional works to hard to let properties 7 Lettable Standard 8 Creating New Tenancies 8 Equality and Diversity 9 Monitoring and Customer involvement 9 Appendices Pre-Tenancy Termination / Transfer Application visit form Appendix 1 Medway Lettable Standard Appendix 2 2 of 19

Ending tenancies the start of the void process Full details of the termination of a tenancy process can be found in Medway Council s Housing Services Tenancy Management Policy All tenants are required to give written notice that they intend to terminate their tenancy. The standard notice period is four full weeks commencing from the Monday after the termination notice is received. The last day of the tenancy will always be a Sunday. Keys must be returned to Medway Council s Housing Services by 12noon on the Monday after the tenancy end date. Failure to do so will incur a charge of one full week s rent. Where the keys are not returned, the cost of changing locks will be recharged to the outgoing tenant. In the case of a transfer, tenants will be asked to give four weeks notice unless this impacts on the void property relet period. Where a tenant hands in the keys prior to the termination of the notice period, Medway Council s Housing Services will accept this as surrender by mutual agreement. Void property procedures will be implemented immediately on receipt of the keys to enable the property to be re-let as soon as possible. In exceptional circumstances, Medway Council s Housing Services may accept a shorter notice period, such as when a tenant moves in to a care home or has died. In such cases the notice period will be 2 weeks notice unless otherwise agreed by the Housing Manager or Head of Landlord Services. Medway Council s Housing Services actively encourages tenants to leave the property, garage and garden areas in a clean and tidy condition as laid out in the tenancy agreement. When a valid notice is received, all outgoing tenants will be reminded of their rights and responsibilities in relation to ending the tenancy. Medway Council s Housing Services will then arrange inspection of the property by a Housing Officer before the tenant moves out. This will enable Housing Services to:- agree any improvements which are eligible for compensation; identify any rechargeable repairs; identify and notify maintenance contractors of expected volumes of work to assist with forecasting and capacity planning; identify any factors which will be considered as part of offering the property for re-let, such as special adaptations. The outgoing tenant will be responsible for the full costs for clearing out the property and any other rechargeable repairs as laid out in the Rechargeable Repairs Policy. 3 of 19

Any rechargeable repairs will be identified by the Housing Officer during the pre-void inspection and the tenant made aware of their responsibilities regarding these. The outgoing tenant will be asked to sign the list of rechargeable repairs and this will be used as a checklist to ensure that their responsibilities have been met. The tenant will also be informed by their Housing Officer about the status of their rent account and any sub accounts and encouraged to make payments to clear any outstanding debt before the end of the tenancy. If the tenant is in arrears but is unable to clear them in full before the end of the tenancy, they will be asked to make an affordable payment agreement with Medway Council s Housing Services to clear the debt over a period of time. Failure to do so will mean that the tenant will be pursued for any monies owing as laid out in Medway Council s Housing Services Rent Arrears and Former Tenant Debt Policy. The Housing Officer will make attempts to obtain a forwarding address from the outgoing tenant. Where Medway Council s Housing Services suspects a property to be abandoned the statutory procedures will be followed as detailed in our tenancy management procedures. On becoming available for letting, the property will be offered to a potential new tenant with minimal delay in accordance with Medway Council Housing s Homechoice and Allocations policies. Medway Council s Housing Services policies relating to the ending of a tenancy due to abandonment, squatters or death and those relating to storage of personal property are contained in the Tenancy Management suite of policies. Tenancy Termination Incentive Scheme Housing Services will offer an incentive payment of up to 200 to tenants who meet all the conditions set out below. To qualify for any of these payments applicants must have been a council tenant at the property they are leaving for 12 months or more and a valid notice must have been completed to notify the council that the property will be coming vacant. Payments will be offset against any rent arrears owing on the rent account once the tenancy is terminated and all Housing Benefit Payments have been adjusted:- 40-00 4 weeks notice 60-00 Property left empty, clean and in good decorative order. (Gardens have been left manageable were appropriate) 20-00 All keys returned 20-00 No debts on electricity and gas meter 20-00 Pre-termination visit by Housing Officer 4 of 19

20-00 Net curtains left at windows. 20-00 Viewing in occupation (accompanied) Please speak to your Housing Officer about applying for any of the above cash incentive payments. Right to Improve Secure Tenants have the right to improve their home and to claim compensation from the council for the cost of the improvement when they leave their home. The Compensation and Redress Policy covers this matter in detail and a summary is provided here:- only some improvements qualify for compensation and they must have been completed after 1st April 1994; the tenant must claim the compensation within 14 days of giving up their tenancy; the council taking into account the cost of the improvements works out the amount of compensation due based on the value it has added to the property and the remaining life of the improvement. Providing that any improvements found in void properties were properly inspected and approved at the time of their installation, or in retrospect and they pass any current health and safety inspections required, they can remain in the property. Repairs to Void Properties Medway Council Housing aims to identify and complete all necessary repairs to enable a property to be re-let as soon as possible. All repairs will be completed to a high quality Medway standard that has been agreed with tenants, whilst ensuring void costs are kept to a minimum. All properties will be issued with electrical and gas safety certificates in compliance with legal requirements. Inspection of the property The Housing Officer will attempt to identify as many repairs as possible during the pre-void inspection. Where there are severe concerns over repairs the Housing Officer will request an inspection by a surveyor. Any repairs identified will be marked on the void inspection sheet (Appendix 1), one copy of which will be passed to the Customer First repairs team for the necessary vacant property repairs order to be raised. The tenant will be asked to sign a list of rechargeable repairs they are responsible for so that they are aware of any repairs that are their responsibility. A further inspection will take place by the Housing Officer once the tenant has vacated the property. If the outgoing tenant disputes the rechargeable repairs that have been applied to the property then this should be put in writing to the Housing Manager explaining why the recharge should not apply. The Housing Manager will make a 5 of 19

decision on whether the charges should apply and communicate this in writing to the former tenant of the property. This will enable the Housing Officer to check whether the former tenant has:- complied with their end of tenancy obligations; left the property in a clean and tidy state. It will also enable the Housing Officer to:- identify any repairs that may have been missed or hidden by furniture etc during the pre-void inspection; check that all keys are present and that the property can be made secure. If any keys are missing the Housing Officer will immediately order replacements, including security door fobs in the case of flatted properties; note and order all repairs necessary to bring the property up to Medway Council s Housing Services Lettable Standard; ensure that final meter readings are taken; note any adaptations to the property, such as a flush-floor shower, wheelchair height kitchen cupboards and handrails etc. This information will be made available to the Homechoice team, so that they are able to offer the property to a prospective tenant that may require such adaptations. Repairs Ordering To speed re-let times, repairs will be classified into two categories:- essential repairs that must be completed while the property is empty (including safety checks); and/or non-essential or minor repairs that could be completed once the new tenant has moved into the property or prior to the outgoing tenant moving out. Any further damage to the property would be recharged back to the outgoing tenant. The Housing Officer will agree the priority of the works identified with the voids contractor, which will be based on the terms of the repairs contract. If a void property falls into an area where planned maintenance is being undertaken, such as boiler or window replacements, the void property will be moved to the top of the list for these works to be completed. Major and Health and Safety works that would cause a high level of disruption to tenants or put their safety at risk, such as removal of asbestos, damp and rot treatments will be completed prior to the start of the new tenancy. Every attempt will be made to complete all repairs prior to the new tenant 6 of 19

taking up their tenancy, however in some circumstances minor, non-essential repairs will be undertaken once the tenancy has commenced. These repairs and the timescales for their completion will be agreed with the new tenant. In all cases, these will be charged to the voids budget. All works undertaken in the property will be completed to the Medway Void Standard (Appendix 1) and to the Decent Homes Standard as laid out by the Government. Works to void properties Works raised on void properties will be carried out and will be of high quality and in accordance with the Medway void standard. Costs for each job raised will comply with the schedule of rates (cost per job) agreed with the contractor. The Housing Officer will ensure that void properties are checked against the planned works programme to make the most cost effective use of resources. Void properties in an area undergoing a planned works programme will be given priority. The contractor will need to complete all works specified on the void sheet before the property will be accepted as ready to let and signed off. There may be rare occasions when not all works will be completed prior to the new tenant taking up residency of the property. In these cases a timescale for the works to be completed must be agreed with the tenant and a new works order raised. Medway Council Housing Services will not sign-off the void as complete and ready for payment until all works on the original order have been completed to a satisfactory standard. All void properties must have had a gas and electrical check and have the necessary certificates in place before they can be deemed as ready to let. Copies of these are given to the new tenant as part of the sign up process. Additional works to hard to let properties An individual property will be defined as hard to let when it has been offered and refused 4 times or when it has been advertised twice and no expressions of interest have been made. In such cases the property will be offered to a homeless applicant to expedite the void process. Analysis will be undertaken in cases where a property meets this definition to identify the contributory factors and to assess reasons for rejection by applicants. A series of measures will be agreed and implemented for individual properties in this category which may include:- additional internal works above and beyond the minimum Lettable Standard to enhance the property; 7 of 19

internal decoration as opposed to vouchers being offered; improved security; fencing and landscape improvement; incentives to incoming tenants such as assistance with removal costs more extensive marketing. Lettable Standard Housing Services aims to create high quality, sustainable tenancies and achieve a high level of customer satisfaction. All properties let will consistently meet the Governments Decent Homes standard and our own minimum Lettable Standard. The Lettable Standards are contained in Appendix 2 to this document. The council s minimum Lettable Standard is developed in consultation with customers and is communicated widely to tenants and prospective tenants prior to viewing. Where the decorative condition is poor, Medway Council s Housing Services will consider the provision of decoration vouchers to the new tenant. The value of the voucher offered will reflect the extent of the decoration required to bring the property to a decent standard throughout. Medway Council s Housing Services may also undertake internal decoration in sheltered housing blocks. We may also undertake decoration where an incoming tenant is vulnerable or elderly and the current standard is poor. Creating New Tenancies Starting a new tenancy and the sign-up process are fully covered in Medway Council s Tenancy Management Policy. All prospective tenants are provided with information about the property attributes, and local neighbourhood facilities prior to viewing, as part of the Homechoice lettings system. When a prospective tenant has indicated their acceptance of a vacant property, the tenancy will commence as soon as possible after all essential repairs are completed. All tenancies start on a Monday. Any tenancy signed up on a Tuesday or later will commence from the following Monday immediately after the sign up date unless there are extenuating circumstances. All new tenants are given opportunity to feed back their satisfaction with the void management process and standard of the property when let. New tenants will be visited within the first 6 weeks of their tenancy commencing. More information is provided about new tenant visits in the Estate Management Policy. In summary the purpose of this visit will be:- 8 of 19

to welcome the tenant and give an opportunity for them to ask any questions, raise any concerns, follow up on any outstanding issues etc; to establish if they need any extra help setting up their home and Identify any support needs the tenant may have; to offer any advice about benefit that the tenant may be entitled to; to discuss rent payment options or delays with outstanding HB or supporting people grant claims; to reinforce the terms of the tenancy agreement and the tenants rights and responsibilities. The sign up process and settling in visit has a significant impact on the sustainability of tenancies. Housing Officers will ensure a range of supportive procedures and services are in place to ensure effective delivery. Equality and Diversity Housing Services is committed to providing a fair and equitable service to its tenants and leaseholders. Through the management of our empty properties the council aims to treat all customers fairly, and with respect and professionalism regardless of their gender, race, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and marital status. To help demonstrate our approach to managing empty properties is fully in keeping with the council s equality and diversity aims and objectives, the council collects equalities information on satisfaction with the void management process, the re-let standard, and the quality of advice provided to prospective and existing tenants, to feed into monitoring and review processes. The council will carryout out disability and racial equality impact assessments on all new and reviewed policies. Monitoring and Customer Involvement Medway Council s Housing Services has developed this policy and the accompanying standards and procedures in full consultation with customers. Satisfaction with the services provided will be monitored through settling in visits and repairs satisfaction cards. Feedback received from these surveys will be used to inform amendments to the policy and thus improve the services provided. Medway Council s Housing Services will review this policy in full consultation with service users every two years. We will monitor this policy by:- void turnaround time against the annual performance target; the number of new tenants visited within 6 weeks of moving in; the value of decorating vouchers issued; no of refusals and reasons for refusal; no of properties let to homeless households; 9 of 19

percentage of tenancies vacated within one year of the commencement of the tenancy; the amount of money issued and broken down by the relevant incentive criteria; void rent loss; number of properties vacant as a percentage of the stock; percentage of voids let to internal transfers; percentage of voids let to under occupation scheme transfers. 10 of 19

Appendix 1 PRE-TENANCY TERMINATION/ TRANSFER APPLICATION VISIT The aims of the visit are to: 1. Advise on the obligation to pay rent until the tenancy ends, to highlight any arrears/credit on the rent account/sub accounts and take appropriate action. 2. Ensure that the outgoing tenant is aware of the repairing obligations of the Tenancy Agreement. 3. Carry out an internal and external property inspection, identify and agree remedial work by the tenant before the tenancy ends to prevent a recharge at the void stage. 4. Identify and agree any rechargeable repairs and explain the procedure for invoicing and payment. 5. Identify whether the tenant has made any improvements that would qualify under the tenants right to compensation. 6. Remind the tenant of the action required on vacating a property, including rubbish clearance and clearance of the loft, all of which is rechargeable, return of keys (including window and shed keys), notifying statutory authorities (e.g. Housing Benefit, DSS) fuel suppliers, doctors, redirection on post etc, taking meter readings. 7. Agreeing any items to be left in situ e.g. clean good quality carpets. 8. Identify and record any special features of the property, which may affect allocation e.g. disabled adaptations, access to property and pass any information to Homechoice team. If the tenant needs to carry out work prior to the end of the tenancy in order to transfer, the tenant will be advised that it is their responsibility to contact the Housing Officer when the obligations have been fulfilled in order to arrange a follow-up visit. Repairs to look for missing or damaged internal doors, holes in walls, non standard light fittings, electrical fittings, poor decoration etc. 11 of 19

PRE TERMINATION PROPERTY INSPECTION Inspection date: Housing Officer: NAME ADDRESS KITCHEN Standard E G F P Recharge G.F.W.C BATHROOM/WC LOUNGE DINING ROOM BEDROOM 1 BEDROOM 2 12 of 19

BEDROOM 3 BEDROOM 4 HALL/STAIRS/LANDING ALTERATIONS/ ADAPTATIONS STORE GARDEN/EXTERNAL GENERAL COMMENTS INCLUDING NON-STANDARD FITTINGS AND FIXTURES AND/OR ITEMS TO BE LEFT FOR INCOMING TENANT METER READINGS ELECTRIC GAS 13 of 19

R (Recharge) Overall condition: E= Excellent G= Good F= Fair P= Poor EXISTING RECHARGE / RENT ACCOUNT ARREARS/ SUB ACCOUNT ARREARS TOTAL AMOUNT: Before I/we vacate, under the terms of my/our Tenancy Agreement: 1. I need to complete the work highlighted during inspection by the Housing Officer. 2. I need to make sure that the property and garden are emptied and cleared of all items and rubbish. 3. I need to ensure that my rent and any other payment due to the council are paid in full or an agreement reached. I understand that failure to carry out the end of tenancy conditions may result in being recharged and possible court action being taken against me for any remedial works and outstanding debts thereafter. I also understand that it may jeopardise any future housing applications that I may have with this or any other Housing Association or council. My forwarding address and contact number is: Signed Signed.. Tenant(s) name(s) in block capitals Housing Officer.... Housing Officer s name in block capitals.. Date.. Date of any subsequent visit... 14 of 19

Appendix 2 Medway Council Void Standard 2010 Element Sub Element Work Details Overall Photo Evidence Housing Officer to provide photographic evidence of missing or damaged elements Contractor to provide photographic evidence to support any variation orders over 100.00 Housing Officer to fill in Property attributes sheet and supply to HMST/Asset information officer (provide photographic evidence) External General Remove all furniture, builders rubble, and general rubbish from garden All vegetation to be cut and left to no longer than 300mm (excluding established shrubs and small trees etc) Fill in fishponds ensuring adequate top covering of soil Demolish and remove all greenhouses from gardens (unless request to leave in situ) Pathways Make safe all paths and steps, carrying out repairs as required. All paving should be firmly bedded Steps Repair cracks that may present a trip hazard Satellite To be left in-situ if safe. Remove aerials and dishes where unsafe and in dangerous condition Dishes Fences Repair/replace missing panels and rotten areas. Make panels, posts and gates secure and safe (photo evidence always required if not on original specification) Renew damaged concrete panels Walls Remove graffiti Make good pointing and cracks to render on external walls Garden Cut grass and remove from the site Cut back overgrown bushes and remove cuttings from the site Remove unsafe structures i.e. unsafe sheds, brick built screens (unless asbestos, which are to be reported to Medway Council on discovery) Authorisation required prior to removal Roof If there is evidence of leaking, carry out roof repair and report to Medway Council. Repair or replace cracked, slipped or missing roof tiles and slates, felt or flashing 15 of 19

repairs/replacement. Unblock obstructions in gutters and fit drains with covers Renew loft hatch and frame if missing Repair/replace leaking gutters. (Authorisation required if not on original spec) Unblock outlets Repair cracks to asphalt as required Cut and provide keys to communal entrance doors as required Balconies Remove rubbish Doors Replace locks to external doors and make doors secure (also include shed doors where appropriate) Renew locks if missing or damaged or no keys supplied from previous tenant Carry out minor scarf repairs as required to door and frame Internal Cleanliness Remove all food and domestic appliances left by previous tenant including cooker, microwave and washing machine, fridge and freezer Remove all rubbish, including rubbish from the loft Clean dirty windows and window frames Remove sellotape, blue tack and safety pins from the walls Wipe over light fittings and switches Clean skirting boards and the front of radiators, removing marks and grease Sweep floors and wash down tiled floor surfaces, paying particular attention to dirt in corners. Remove all signs of dampness and mould on all areas, using an anti-fungal solution Remove deposits of dust, grease and cobwebs from all surfaces Wash down and clean all painted timber material within property including cills, skirtings, doors, and architraves Clean all work surfaces, internal and external cabinets and drawers with an appropriate cleaner Floors Remove all carpets, including under lays and floor coverings, remove laminate flooring in flats Repair/replace floor tiles where damaged or lifting (following asbestos test results) Make good floor screed as required Repair/replace rotten or damaged floorboards and joists Repair/replace uneven floorboards Walls Remove very damaged wallpaper Remove/blank out graffiti Repair holes to plaster, minor decorating cracks may 16 of 19

remain Wash down and disinfect mould and mildew from walls Carry out plaster renewal if required up to 25sqm per property where severely blown or damaged Repair/replace damaged or missing skirting boards Remove tile surround and hearth, brick up, ventilate and make good plaster and skirting where back boiler / fire has been removed Doors Repair/replace latches and handles if damaged or missing Repair/replace doors if missing or damaged Make good small holes and leave ready to decorate Repair/replace frame as required Stairs Repair/replace damaged treads and risers Repair/replace handrail and spindles or ranch rails Repair/replace newel post as required Windows Replace all cracked and broken glass Repair/replace window furniture i.e. locks, stays, sashes, cockspurs. Repair frames as necessary Electrics Install sockets so that there are at least 4 double socket outlets with a minimum of 2 above worktop height in kitchen and 2 double socket outlets in living room and dining room. This may vary depending on the size of the kitchen Repair/replace sockets and switches if cracked or covered with paint Screw down any sockets or switches, which are loose from the wall Secure all wires. Loose cables should be clipped and made safe Where mains powered smoke detectors are not fitted, fit mains powered paired optical smoke detectors Test and provide a passed NIC EIC electrical certificate for property. To include all necessary repairs to achieve a pass standard (rewires to be funded separately but NIC confirmation cert required prior to agreement). If the certificate shows the electrical work is unsatisfactory then a minor works installation certificate will be provided to show what works have been carried out Any code 3 recommendations will need further investigation Kitchen General Clean all work surfaces, internal and external cabinets and drawers with an appropriate kitchen cleaner Renew mastic seal between tiles and worktop/sink if damaged Ensure that the property has an electrical cooker point fitted 17 of 19

Bathroom / WC Fit connecting pipes for washing machine feed and waste Remove polystyrene tiles from ceiling or walls and make good Sink Clean all sink areas with appropriate kitchen cleaner, removing residue Check taps are working and repair if needed Fill and check waste pipes and leave in good working order Units Install units if there are less than one wall unit and one floor unit Secure all loose unit doors Adjust all drawers so that they are able to open and close freely Repair/replace worktops and units if they are beyond repair (as per specification) Floor Repair/replace floor tiles where damaged or lifting (following asbestos test results) General Repair/replace taps so that they are free from leaks and drips and in good working order Securely fit bath, basin and WC Check that all water supplies and waste pipes are free from leaks Supply and fit slide bolt to door Replace batten lamp holders with a vapour proof light fitting Bath/Shower Remove all scale and dirt Replace chain and plug if missing Secure bath panel and replace if missing (following asbestos test) Remove shower curtain Check taps and shower are working and repair/replace if required Fill and check waste pipes and leave in good working order Renew bath if there are rust spots or chips below the waterline or if the bath is beyond cleaning Repair chips to enamel if above water line Basin Replace chain and plug if missing Clean, remove dirt and scale to bath, basin and pan Floor Repair/replace floor tiles where damaged or lifting (following asbestos test results) WC Clean, remove dirt and scale to cistern and pan Secure toilet seat Replace cracked cistern, toilet seat, pan, bath or basin 18 of 19

Policy Version Control Sheet Policy Title: Void Policy Date Approved by DMT: Projected Date of Review: Review Date: Amendments Made: Amendments Approved Date: Amendments Approved Date: Amendments Approved Date: Date Implemented: Date Implemented: Date Implemented: 19 of 19