Issue - meetings

The Rent Arrears Policy and Procedure outlines how the council manages rental income, rent arrears, and possession proceedings for non-secure tenants and licensees living in interim and temporary accommodation provided or managed by the Council.

The policy and procedure have been reviewed and updated to reflect current legislation, government guidance and good practice.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve and adopt the Council’s new Rent Arrears Policy and Procedure for Temporary Accommodation, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

The Committee received a report seeking approval of the updated Rent Arrears Policy and Procedure outlining how the Council manages rental income, rent arrears, and possession proceedings for non-secure tenants and licensees living in interim and temporary accommodation provided or managed by the Council.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            Support Offered. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Hosing Manager stated that, in instances of people being unable to or struggling to pay their rent, the housing service can offer support by way of raising awareness of the available assistance and benefits schemes in order to help alleviate financial pressures.

b)            Accommodation Size. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager stated that the housing team always seeks to place people in appropriate accommodation according to household size.

c)            Subsidised Rent. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager explained that the amount that the Council can charge for rent is capped under statute, with the Council subsidising the difference between the actual rent cost and the amount chargeable by the Council.

d)            In the Event of Eviction. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager explained that if a person had been evicted from a property by the Council as a last resort option, where all other methods of resolution had been unsuccessful and all requirements of the pre-action protocol had been met, that person would be found as intentionally homeless should they reapproach the Council.

e)            Debt Management. In response to a question from a Member, the Head of Housing and Community stated that the Council works closely with and signposts people to organisations such as the Good Company, who can offer advice to people with respect to debt management.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Approve and adopt the Council’s new Rent Arrears Policy and Procedure for Temporary Accommodation, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.