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Rugby Borough Council Allocations Policy
Rugby Borough Council Allocations Policy
Council
Allocations
Policy
Section One
Rugby Borough Councils Allocations Policy
Page
Background
Key aims and objectives
Equality and fairness
Section Two
The Housing Waiting list
Page
Introduction
Eligibility
Qualifying person criteria
People aged 16 or 17
Joint applications
Multiple applications
Transferring tenants
Applications from Elected Members, Board Members and
employees
How to apply and the process
Changes in circumstances
Regular reviews
Cancelling applications
Withholding information/providing false information
Reviews
Making a complaint
Review of the Allocations Policy
10
10
10
10
11
11
11
Section Three
Assessing Housing Need
Page
12
12
12
13
13
13
14
15
15
15
15
16
16
17
18
19
19
20
20
Access to children
Section Four
Processing Allocations
Page
Short-listing
Viewing properties and receiving offers
Feedback on results
Best use of stock
Nominations
21
21
22
22
22
Section Five
Local Letting Policies
Page
23
23
24
24
Section Six
Processing Allocations
Page
25
26
Section One
Rugby Borough Councils Allocations Policy
Background
This is the Rugby Borough Councils (the councils) allocations policy. This policy
shows how the council will let their stock. The council also nominate households to
landlords of social housing properties for Orbit, Midland Heart, Waterloo, Bromford
Living and Warwickshire Rural Housing Association.
All lets by the council are completed through this policy and a summary is available
by contacting the Councils Housing Options Team.
The council will publicise on its website the lets for that week which will include
which band the property was allocated to and how long the household had been in
the band, www.rugby.gov.uk
Please note that some of the Housing Associations also allocate their properties
through their own systems. See Appendix 1 for their contact details.
The council only let 323 properties in 2011/12 and social housing is not a viable
housing solution for everyone. The Council offer a housing options interview on a
drop-in basis. So if you would like to know more about your housing options go to
the Town Hall or contact the Housing Options Team. If you are unable to attend the
Town Hall home visits can be completed.
Full Contact Details for the Housing Options Team:
Visit: Rugby Borough Council, Town Hall, Evreux Way, Rugby, CV21 2RR
between 9am 5pm
Phone: 01788 533833
Email: housingoptionsteam@rugby.gov.uk
Some households will not be allowed on the housing waiting list this will be
determined by this allocations policy and the households will have a right of review.
Section Two
The Housing Waiting List
Introduction
All households can apply for the housing list, however, following the changes from
the Localism Act 2012, there is eligibility and qualifying criteria that the Council
considers before allowing households on the list. These criteria are described
below. Once a household is on the list they will be considered for all vacancies
suitable for their needs and areas they have expressed an interest to live in.
Eligibility
Ineligible due to Immigration Status.
Some people travelling to the United Kingdom from abroad are not entitled to social
housing on the basis of their status as detailed in Section 160A of the Housing Act
1996 as amended.
Where a registration form indicates that this may be an issue, checks will be made to
confirm the eligibility status of an applicant.
If you are not sure if this section applies to you please contact us and we will advise
you.
If you are ineligible we have no duty to offer you a home but we will offer you advice
on your other housing options.
Such customers should provide their passports and/or other relevant
information to confirm immigration status.
190(2), 193(2) or 195(2) (or under section 65(2) or 68(2) of the Housing Act
Council will consider whether these orders would pose a serious risk to other
tenants.
Affordability
Applicants will not qualify to be accepted on the list if they are homeowners or have
the funds to solve their own housing situation.
This will not apply to the following households:
Those that need to move because of disability or frailty and this need cannot
be reasonably met in their current accommodation after investigation of their
housing situation by the Housing Options Team
The investigation will include if the household could solve their housing
situation by selling the property and moving to more suitable accommodation
and people in these circumstances will be expected to sell their property at
the earliest opportunity.
Information on Applications
People Aged 16 and 17
The Deed of Trust enables applicants who are 16 or 17 years old to be tenants of
council properties.
The Deed of Trust must only be completed in the following circumstances:
The applicant must be 16 or 17 years old
The applicant has been offered a property or qualified to succeed under the
Housing Act
The property being offered must be the applicants only home
The signer of the Deed of Trust must be over 18 and be a suitable and
responsible adult
The signer of the Deed of Trust understands that they are not liable for rent
arrears, but that they will assist the young person to conduct their tenancy in a
satisfactory manner. There will be an expectation that the signer of the Deed of
Trust will provide assistance to the young person if the council has to apply to
court because of a breach in their tenancy conditions.
Joint Applications
Joint applications will be accepted, provided both customers are eligible, aged
16 or over and intend to occupy the property together as their only or main
home.
Multiple Applications
Multiple applications will not be allowed. If multiple applications do exist, the
Changes in Circumstances
Applicants who move to a new address or whose circumstances change after they
have been accepted onto the housing list (e.g. someone joining or leaving their
household) should immediately contact the Housing Options Team to notify them of
the change.
If the change of circumstances affects the customers priority banding they will be
informed in writing of the outcome of the reassessment.
Regular Reviews
For people in Band 1, 2, 3 and 4 we will review all applicants on a regular basis
including contacting applicants to verify that they would like to stay on the list. We
will ensure that all vulnerable applicants will be contacted in the most accessible
way for the individual applicant. Households on the reserve list will be reviewed on
a more regular basis.
Cancelling Applications
Applications will only be cancelled in the following circumstances:
A request has been received from the applicant (or their advocate) in
writing.
There is no reply to the annual review
The customer has been re-housed
Notification has been received from an executor or personal representative
that the customer is deceased and s/he was the sole applicant.
It is discovered that the customer has given false or misleading information
in their application.
Evidence is obtained that the applicant is no longer eligible.
If information requested remains outstanding after timescales given have
elapsed.
For households on the reserve list, if an applicant turns down an offer of
accommodation
Applicants will be informed of the reason(s) why their application has been
cancelled and informed of their right to request a review of the decision (see section
on Reviews below).
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Reviews
Applicants have the right to request a review against decisions made in the
allocation process.
The customers request for a review of the decision should be made within 21 days
of the decision being made. The customer should provide supporting evidence if
necessary and explain why they require a review of the original decision.
An independent senior officer from Rugby Borough Council making the decision for
the application will carry out reviews. The officer will not have been involved in the
original decision. The officer will consider the evidence provided and decide
whether to overturn or support the original decision. The customer will be informed
of the outcome of the review in writing within 21 days of receipt of the request.
If applicants are dissatisfied with the review they can go though the councils
complaints procedure (please see below) and/or seek legal advice.
Making a Complaint
All customers who make a complaint will be treated fairly and objectively. A written
reply to any complaint received will be sent out within the timescales set out in the
councils complaints policy. Copies of these can be obtained from the council.
If the customer has gone through the complaints procedure and remains dissatisfied,
they can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service - http://www.housing
ombudsman.org.uk/default.aspx , Address - 81 Aldwych, London WC2B 4HN
Telephone - 0300 111 3000, Fax - 020 7831 1942 or email info@housing
ombudsman.org.uk or apply for a judicial review (social housing tenants and other
customers).
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Section Three
Assessing Housing Need
Reasonable Preference Groups
Applications will be assessed under this scheme, to ensure that those in greatest
housing need are given preference for an allocation of accommodation. Landlords
within the partnership give reasonable preference to customers as set out in s167Z
(2) of the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Act 2002. These are:
Applicants who are homeless. This includes applicants where there is a
statutory duty to re-house as well as applicants who are intentionally
homeless and those who do are not in priority need.
Applicants occupying unsanitary or overcrowded housing or otherwise living
in unsatisfactory housing conditions
Applicants who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including
grounds relating to disability
Applicants who need to move to a particular locality in the district of the
housing authority, where failure to meet that need would cause hardship (to
themselves or to others)
In addition, section 167ZA(2) gives housing authorities the power to frame their
customers who fall within the reasonable preference categories and who have
To ensure that local priorities are met, the scheme may provide for other factors,
other than those set out in section (2) of the Housing Act 1996 in determining which
categories of customers are to be given preference for an allocation of
accommodation within the scheme, providing they do not dominate the scheme at
the expense over those listed in the statutory preference categories as listed in
167ZA(2).
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There will also be prioritisation of applicants within specific bands. All applications
will be given an application date. Within each band there will be prioritisation using
the date that the applicant is placed within the band awarded to their application.
Cumulative Need
If an Applicant (or one or more members of their household, as applicable) has
more than one housing need (cumulative need) within the band in which they have
been placed, their case will be assessed to see whether the application should be
given additional priority and placed in a higher band.
Examples would be where applications are assessed as having a need within the
allocations scheme under two or more categories in Band 2 they will move to Band
1 or two or more categories in Band 3 will move to Band 2.
Applicants who are in the Armed Forces will also have added reasonable
preference for those in the highest need (Band 1)
Band 1+
Applicants in the following circumstances will be placed in the highest priority band
(Band 1+):
Applicants assessed as statutory homeless who are owed a full housing duty and
who also display exceptional cumulative housing needs where the needs in question
were not specifically related to their homelessness application.
Applicants who are in urgent housing need (band 1) and are members of the
Armed Forces.
Band 1
Applicants in the following circumstances are deemed to have an urgent need
for re-housing:
Applicants assessed as statutorily homeless who are owed a full housing duty.
(Please see page 15-16)
Applicants in properties that are assessed as having a lack of facilities or that
are subject to statutory Prohibition or Demolition Orders in accordance with
legislation and statutory regulations. This would also include situations where
the condition of property occupied is seriously detrimental to the health of any
of the household and the defects to the property cannot be readily remedied.
(Please see page 20)
Applicants with a high need for alternative accommodation on the grounds of
significant social/ welfare need including issues of vulnerability. (Please see page
17)
Where applicants are unable to continue to occupy their current accommodation
due to a high medical need or disability. (Please see page 16-17)
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Applicants who cannot continue to live in their current home because of serious
harassment or violence. (Please see page 19)
Applicants with a need to move to a particular locality where significant hardship
would be caused if they did not move. (Please see page 18)
Applicants who are overcrowded because their present home is short of at least 3
bedrooms. (Please see page 19)
Applicants who are in short term supported housing (up to 2 years) and are
required to move on to alternative accommodation urgently. Confirmation about
these circumstances will be required from the organisation providing the supported
accommodation.
Applicants leaving Warwickshire Probation Service approved premises will be
assessed by the Housing Options Team and be placed on Band 1 if accepted.
Band 2
Applicants in the following circumstances will be placed in priority Band 2:
Applicants who are assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness but
where there is no statutory duty to obtain housing. (Please see 15-16)
Applicants with a medium need for alternative accommodation on the grounds of
serious social/ welfare need including issues of vulnerability. (Please see page 18)
Applicants with a medium medical need who have been assessed as requiring
suitable alternative accommodation because their medical condition and/ or
disability is having a significant detrimental affect on their ability to live
independently at home. (Please see page 18)
Applicants who are overcrowded because their present home is short of at least 2
bedrooms. (Please see page 19)
Applicants living in council housing who are under occupying their current
accommodation.
Applicants with a medium need to move to a particular locality where serious
hardship would be caused if they did not move. (Please see page 18)
Applicants who are sharing facilities with more than one household, this could
include sharing the bathroom or kitchen. (A household is defined at page 16
below.)
Applicants who are in Armed Forces accommodation and who lived in a
particular District or Borough partnership area before they joined up will be
placed in this category six months before discharge and vacation of service
accommodation is required.
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Band 3
Applicants in the following circumstances will be placed in priority Band 3:
Applicants living in a property that has minor disrepair and/or in poor condition but
is not a risk to health or safety.
Applicants with a low medical need or disability where a move to more suitable
alternative accommodation would improve their health (Please see page 17)
Applicants who have a low housing need on welfare grounds will be placed in Band
3. (Please see page 18)
Applicants who are overcrowded because their present home is short of 1 bedroom.
(Please see page 19)
Band 4
Those applicants over 60 who have no identified housing need and do not have the
financial resources and ability to find their own housing solutions including
seeking adaptations to their current home.
Applicants who are home owners but consider they have a need to move into
sheltered or adapted accommodation. The Housing Options Team will assess their
needs and if these can be met by other methods: i.e. adaptations to their current
property. If the applicants are accepted as needing to be re-housed the expectation
will be that their current property will be sold on the open market.
Reserve List
Applicants in the following circumstances will be placed on the reserve list band:
The top 50 people who apply for go onto the list but are not accepted because they
are under 60 and do not have an identified housing need. These applicants will
only be placed in the reserve list if they will accept (types of properties to be taken
from previous lets from 2012/2013 that have been allocated to band 4 when data is
available)
This list will be reviewed and updated regularly and applicants will be taken off the
list if they do not accept an allocation or the council is unable to contact them on a
regular basis.
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owed will be placed in Band 1 in order to be re-housed by the authority that has the
duty to secure accommodation for them.
As Band 1 is effectively the highest priority band for most customers and all those
within it are considered to be in high levels of relative need, it is not considered
possible or necessary to accord any further priority to such homeless customers.
Such customers are, by virtue the s193 (2) duty, provided with accommodation
suitable to their needs. However where a homeless customer exhibits an
exceptional cumulative need, they may be placed in Band 1+.
Homeless applicants are awarded priority within the allocations scheme because of
their urgent need to be re-housed. For this reason homeless applicants will be
placed in Band 1+ or Band 1 and this banding will be taken from them if they do not
accept an allocation which the council considers to be suitable. Applicants can ask
for a review of the suitability of any accommodation offered.
Applicants who are assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness in 28
days in accordance with the Housing Act 1996 (as amended by the Homelessness
Act 2002) and there is no statutory duty to obtain housing will be placed in Band 2.
Shared Facilities
Priority is given when an applicant is in circumstances where they have to share
facilities with more than one household. This could be in a circumstance where the
applicant is sharing facilities with people who are not members of their family.
Sharing facilities would include sharing a bathroom and/or kitchen. A household is
defined as an applicant or somebody who normally resides with them and it is
deemed reasonable that they would continue to live with them. However in some
circumstances, where for example an applicant has lived independently and then
had to move back to live with family, additional priority may be given following an
assessment of the circumstances.
Medical Grounds
In these circumstances evidence would be required to support the case.
Priority may be awarded on medical grounds if information received indicates a
move will benefit the health of the customer or their household.
When determining the level of medical need a customer has, we will consider
whether the provision of adaptations will assist with improving their housing
circumstances.
High
Where applicants are unable to continue to occupy their current accommodation
due to a high medical need or disability, these customers will be placed in Band 1.
Examples would include:
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o A wheelchair user occupies a home where facilities are upstairs and therefore
inaccessible
o An applicant is due to be discharged from hospital and their current
o A referral has been received from a mental health professional stating that the
current housing be having a severe effect on an applicant's mental well being
o Any applicant who needs to move to suitable adapted accommodation
because of serious injury, medical condition or disability which they, or a
member of their household, have sustained as a result of service in the Armed
Forces.
Medium
Applicants with a medium medical need who have been assessed as requiring
suitable alternative accommodation because their medical condition and/ or
disability is having a significant detrimental affect on their ability to live
independently at home.
Low
Applicants who have been assessed as having a low medical need or a disability
where a move to suitable alternative accommodation would improve their health will
be placed in Band 3.
Welfare Grounds
In these circumstances evidence would be required to support the case.
Applicants with care or support needs, or other social needs may need to move to
alternative accommodation on welfare grounds
High
Those applicants needing to move urgently on welfare grounds will be placed in
Band 1. Priority of this level will only be awarded if the current situation is so
significant it will have a serious impact on the well being of the applicants.
Examples would include:
o Parents forced to live apart (where they have previously lived together)
o Child separated from parents (where they have previously lived together)
where the child cannot occupy the current home of the parent, and that
Medium
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Applicants who have a medium housing need on welfare grounds will be placed
in Band 2.
Examples would include:
o Applicants who need to move to receive care or support
o Applicants who need to move as part of an agreed support plan to re
Low
Applicants who have a low housing need on welfare grounds will be placed in Band
3.
Hardship Grounds
In these circumstances evidence would be required to support the case.
Applicants may need to move to a specific locality in order to give or receive care, to
be able to access specialised medical treatment or to take up particular education,
employment or training opportunities in a particular local authority district. Applicants
may have a specific financial hardship related to their housing need.
High
Those applicants needing to move urgently on hardship grounds will be placed in
Band 1. Priority at this level will only be awarded if the current situation is so
significant that it will cause significant hardship to the applicant or to others.
Examples would include:
o An applicant needing to move to a particular area to take up employment
and if they did not significant financial hardship would be caused.
o An applicant needing to move to be closer to a vulnerable relative where
there is no alternative solution and not to do so would cause significant
hardship.
o An independent assessment has indicated that they cannot afford their
housing costs and therefore cannot continue living in their current
accommodation without facing significant hardship
Medium
Applicants with a medium housing need to move to a specific locality on hardship
grounds will be placed in Band 2.
Examples would include:
o Applicants who need to move and if they did not do so they would not be
able to take up an educational opportunity
o Applicants who need to move to a particular area provide support and not to
do so would cause personal hardship. An independent assessment has
indicated that their current financial circumstances are impacting on their
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ability to pay for the costs of their accommodation and that this is causing
hardship.
Overcrowding
Only children permanently residing with the main applicant are included. (Living
permanently would mean that children must spend at least 50% of the time with the
main applicant) In these circumstances evidence would be required to support the
case and this may include a home visit in order to make an assessment. The type of
information we would require would be proof of child benefit or tax credit award, a
court order if one is in place or a residency order.
For the purpose of assessing overcrowding the following criteria will be used:
o The main applicant and a household member living permanently with the
main applicant will be considered as couple if the latter has a relationship of
Husband or Wife or Partner
o A separate bedroom will be allotted to each couple and also to each individual
person within the household unless it is children in certain circumstances.
(Please see below).
o Two children of the same sex may share a room up to the age of 16 years.
o Two children of different sexes may share a room up to the age of 10 years.
o An expected child is included from 6 months prior to the expected date of
birth.
o A couple may be allotted a bedroom each where medical reasons dictate.
We reserve for ourselves the discretion to modify the above criteria and not apply
them rigidly particularly where that would result in unfairness to the particular
applicant or other applicants generally. In particular in certain circumstances the size
of the bedrooms in a property and the relationship between those sharing a bedroom
will be taken into account as well as the sex of the children when carrying out an
overcrowding/bedroom shortage assessment.
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Disrepair
Applicants who are required to leave their homes as a result of an emergency
Prohibition Order served in relation to the premises under the Housing Act 2004 will
be placed in Band 1
Customers living in unsafe or unsanitary housing conditions (as defined by the
Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)) and there is a high risk of
harm will be placed in Band 1.
Access to Children
For those customers who require an additional bedroom for access purposes
appropriate information to verify circumstances will be required. Examples could be
a copy of the childs birth certificate, court order if one is in place or a residency
order. Each case will be assessed on an individual basis.
If an applicant has less than 50% access to children no additional bedroom
requirement will be given and there will be no increase in banding. Preference will
be given to applicants with children who are permanently at home or at home over
50% of the time.
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Section 4
Process of Allocating Properties
Short Listing
Local connection criteria will be taken into account when short listing applicants
for vacancies.
Applicants are matched to suitable properties and will be placed in the order of
priority. The date that an application was placed in their most current category
(the effective date) will also be used to prioritise applications.
If two or more customers within the same band are matched to the same
property for which they qualify, their application date or the date they entered
their current band will be used to determine the higher priority.
Where properties are targeted at specific customers, they will be given priority
for that type of accommodation e.g. accessible accommodation for customers
with disabilities or new build properties where certain eligibility rules apply under
special Planning requirements. (Section 106 agreements)
Viewing Properties and Receiving Offers
If you are offered a property an officer will contact you directly by telephone in
the first instance to invite you to view the property. Offers are held open for a
limited time only. If we are unable to contact you by telephone then we will send
you an email or letter informing you of the offer and asking you to contact us
within a certain time period. If you do not contact us we will move on to the next
person on the shortlist.
We will arrange an appointment with you to view as soon as it is possible to
enter the property safely, this may be while repairs are still being done so it may
not be clean and tidy. Please let us know immediately if you will need help from
an interpreter or signer at your viewing and sign up appointments. Viewing the
property will give you an opportunity to find out more about holding a council
tenancy, ask questions and gather information. You will be able to view the
property once before deciding whether or not to accept the offer. Before you
accept you should consider the cost of rent, utility and other bills and your
income.
If you do not want to accept the offer you should let the officer know
immediately and give your reasons for refusal. You should consider this
carefully and discuss with the officer as in some cases this may affect your
future housing options.
If you decide to accept the offer the officer will make an appointment for you to
sign for the tenancy. Your sign up appointment will take up to 45 minutes and
during the interview the officer will discuss your tenancy agreement, how to pay
your rent, how to claim housing benefit if required, and contacting utility
FINAL VERSION Approved by Cabinet 15 April 2013
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Feedback on Results
Lettings results will be made available to the public upon request. Information
will also be available on the website and will include the following information:
The total number of people considered for an allocation
The successful customers band effective date.
Properties where a direct offer was made.
Nominations
The council is currently negotiating agreements with their preferred partner
housing associations following the end of UChoose, the sub regional choicebased lettings scheme on 30 June 2013.
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Section 5
Local Lettings Policies, Succession and Left in Occupation
Rural Allocation Policy
For some properties in rural settings a local connection to the Parish will need to be
established.
A local connection to a parish is established if the applicant has, at the time of
registration:
been continuously resident within the parish, or adjoining parish, for the
last 5-years
been a person, or persons residing permanently in the parish, or an
adjoining parish for 5 years, or more, within the previous 20 years
has a contract of employment at a workplace within the parish, or
adjoining parish, and this work is not of a casual or temporary nature
current family associations within the parish, i.e. parents, sons,
daughters, brothers or sisters who have lived within the parish,
adjoining parish, for the last 5-years
If there is not an applicant that meets the above local connection criteria, we will
adopt the following approaches, listed in order of how we will use them:
Firstly, we will consider applicants resident in the parish, or adjoining
parishes, that have lived there from 4-years down to 12 months those
Secondly, if there are still no qualifying applicants we will then consider those
resident in the surrounding parishes, initially resident for 5 years, then if there
is no suitable applicant, those that have lived there from 4-years down to 12
months those having been resident longest receiving highest priority
Finally, if there is still no qualifying applicant in the adjoining or surrounding
parishes we will consider other applicants resident within the borough initially
resident for 5 years, then if there is no suitable applicant, those that have lived
there from 4-years down to 12 months those having been resident longest
receiving highest priority
Incentive Scheme
To try and make better use of its limited housing stock, the Council offers an
incentive scheme for tenants aged 60 or above, who want to move out of large family
Council houses into sheltered housing. To be eligible, tenants must:
Under this scheme the Council will pay for the tenants removals as well as the
disconnection and reconnection of their cooker and the transfer of their telephone
line.
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A payment of 500 is also made by the Council toward the miscellaneous costs
associated with moving. Although you will technically be renting two properties for
one week whilst you are moving, rent will only be charged on one of them.
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Appendix 1
Local contacts and allocation details
Rugby Borough Council
www.rugby.org.uk
Email: info@orbit.org.uk
Bromford Group
http://www.bromfordgroup.co.uk
Telephone: 0330 1234 034
Letter:
Email:
customerservices@bromford.co.uk
Whitley Village
Coventry
CV3 4HZ
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Appendix 2
Accommodation Matrix
The table below sets out the property types for which applicants are eligible this
is based on bedroom need and type of accommodation. The differences in bed
need are because of different child ages.
Single
Person
Couple
1 child
family
2
child
family
3
child
family
4
child
family
5+child
family
Single
person
over 50
Couple
over 50
Self-contained
bedsit
1 bed flat
1 bed house
2 bed
flat/maisonette
2 bed house
Large 3 bed
house
4 bed house
5 bed house
2 bed
bungalow
Small 3 bed
house
1 bed
bungalow
1 child
family
over 60
Guidance notes:
A small 3 bedroom house is defined as less than 85 square metres;
Pregnant applicants are eligible for accommodation in the relevant
group, provided that proof of pregnancy is provided;
Where there is no qualifying applicant, any applicant on the list is
eligible for consideration.
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Applicants who are registered disabled and less than 60 years of age
can be considered for sheltered flats and bungalows.
Applicants over the age of 60 with access to children can be
considered for general needs properties.
Applicants will not be eligible for an allocation to a property if they are
under-occupying as per the Welfare Reform under-occupation charge
criteria.
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