Allocation Policy

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a. This policy sets out the way in which Agamemnon Housing Association (Association) allocates its empty properties, this includes existing properties that become void and new build properties.

b. The Association has a 50% nomination agreement in respect of Neptune Court with Gosport Borough Council. When the Council seeks assistance with accommodation in Neptune Court this will take priority over other applicants, providing they meet the Association’s criteria and subject to availability. The Association also has a nomination agreement in respect of four (4) two person flats in Cornwell Court Annex with Portsmouth City Council, as documented in the nomination agreement dated 26 May 2010.

c. This policy is supported by the following policies and procedures:

i. Lettings Policy
ii. Starter Tenancy Procedure
iii. Financial Assessment of Prospective Tenants
iv. Tenancy Fraud Procedure
v. Housing Sex Offenders Procedure
vi. Hording Policy
vii. Void Property Policy
viii. Compensation and Other Payments Procedure

d.This policy aims to ensure Agamemnon let their properties in accordance with their charitable objectives to people in housing need and make the best use of the housing stock. The Lettings Officer is responsible for compliance with this procedure.

a. As a Registered Provider of Social Housing, the Association has a duty to meet the Regulatory Standards set out by the Regulator of Social Housing.

b. The policy aims to:

i. To let properties quickly and appropriately, minimising the number of empty properties and maximising rent income
ii. To let homes whilst giving applicants as much choice as possible, with the aim of housing applicants where they want to live and therefore increasing future   tenant satisfaction.
iii. To enable access to appropriate accommodation to those in the greatest need of housing
iv. To work with local authorities and other partners to meet housing needs, improve tenant care and help meet statutory duties
v. To contribute to creating and maintaining sustainable communities
vi. Demonstrate that the Association will allocate homes in a fair, transparent and efficient way, without discrimination and in line with the Equality Act 2010
vii. Provide clear application, decision-making and appeals processes
viii. Demonstrate how the Associations allocations contribute to the local authority’s strategic housing function and sustainable communities.

a. This policy meets the requirements of the Government’s regulation of all Registered Social Landlords as prescribed in the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 and laid down by the Homes and Communities Agency in the Tenancy Standard. In summary, these require housing associations to ‘let their homes in a fair, transparent and efficient way.’ considering the housing needs and aspirations of applicants.

b. The Association is a small provider of social housing and has six schemes providing Sheltered Accommodation.

c. We aim to:

i. Meet all obligations in the nomination agreements made with the local authorities
ii. Ensure the needs of existing tenants are balanced with those of new applicants, reflecting the needs of the wider community, not just those most in need
iii. Hold and maintain own housing waiting list
iv.
v. Offers assured non-shorthold tenancies, providing security for tenants following a 12-month starter tenancy
vi. Supports tenants to maintain their tenancy and prevent unnecessary evictions
vii. Ensure that homes continue to be occupied by the tenants that the property was let to
viii. Consider applications from colleagues, relatives or close contacts of colleagues or Board Members. Relationship should be declared on application
There may occasionally be exceptional circumstances in which an allocation may be made outside this policy.

a. We are committed to the following eligibility criteria in allocating our properties:

i. To provide affordable and managed sheltered housing for people over 60 years old
ii. To meet the needs of those given priority on housing waiting lists when possible.
iii. Have the right to rent social housing in England
iv. Be able to live independently and intend to use the home as their only or principal accommodation and not to operate any business at the premises
v. Have sufficient personal funds, or recourse to public funds to pay the rent and sustain the tenancy

b. Priority is given to:

i. Direct tri-service (including Commonwealth)
ii. Spouse of tri-service
iii. Direct service with MOD
iv. Internal tenant with changing health needs (PEEP’s, Mobility concerns)
v. Family tri-service connection (sibling, parent, son or daughter)
vi. Family tri-service connection (wider connection)
vii. Local Authority “Housing Options” applicants ((with no service connection).

c. Consideration will be given too: (in no particular order)

• Health needs
• Size of the home (priority given for a double (one bedroom flat) for a couple)
• Strong local connections
• Family and community support
• Homelessness
• Social & economic factors.

The Association will set out clear reasons for excluding applicants or current tenants from allocations within the letting’s procedure.

a. Review

A periodic review of the housing waiting list, both the Active A List and Inactive B List, is carried out. Correspondence is sent to applicants asking them to complete and return a review of their application form.
If there are significant changes in an applicant’s circumstances, it may be necessary to carry out further checks to ensure they remain eligible for our housing. This may include providing further documented information. It may be necessary to change the band their application has been placed in, or not renew their application if they are no longer eligible. All band changes, or refusals to renew applications, will be confirmed in writing to the applicant giving clear reasons for this decision.
If no response is received from an applicant after one month from sending the review correspondence, and it has not been possible to contact the applicant or their support by telephone, the application will be cancelled/removed from the housing waiting list. No further correspondence will be sent to the applicant.

a. Refusal of an offer of a home

As part of the review process, applicants on the Active A List who have viewed or refused a viewing for any properties in the previous year will be contacted to determine why.
If reasons are given such as the applicant is not yet ready to move, their application should be moved to the Inactive B List.
If the Association does not provide the type of housing the applicant is looking for, colleagues can offer to signposting to other housing options, and the application may be withdrawn or moved to the Inactive B List.

b. Outcome

If there is no change in application status, applicants on the Active A list will continue to receive information on homes that become available and applicants on the Inactive B List will be contacted again at the next review of applications.
If it is necessary to change the status of an application from Active to Inactive, confirmation of such change will be sent in writing to the applicant. Correspondence will explain that their band start date will be withdrawn and will include information on the process of moving an application back to the Active A List.
All band changes, or refusals to renew applications, will be confirmed in correspondence to the applicant giving clear reasons for this decision.

c. Cancelled Applications

Application’s will be cancelled/removed from housing waiting list if:
i. no response from reminder of annual review, contact is lost with applicant
ii. the applicant accepts an offer of suitable accommodation
iii. the applicant ceases to be eligible to remain on waiting list.

a. Applicants may ask for any decision about their housing application to be reviewed.

Applicants should be advised of their right to a review of any decision about their housing application. They must make a request for a review in writing, within 21 days of their notification of the decision they wish to have reviewed. The applicant should specify what decision they wish to have reviewed, the reason why they wish it to be reviewed and provide any additional evidence to support their case.
The review should be undertaken by the Chief Executive within 21 days of the Association receiving the review request. The applicant must be advised in writing of the outcome of the review. The applicant should be informed in writing if there is likely to be a delay in completing the review, with the reasons for the delay and the expected completion date of the review.
Applicants may also request that the Chief Executive review a letting or allocation to ensure it was made in accordance with the Allocation Policy. Allegations that an applicant has obtained an allocation or tenancy through false information will be investigated if there is evidence to do so.
If an applicant is dissatisfied with the outcome of a review undertaken as above, they may request an appeal to the People & Culture Committee. The request must be made in writing within 14 days of the notification of the review decision. The applicant must be advised in writing of the outcome of the appeal.
All requests for reviews and appeals should be sent to:
People & Culture Committee:
The Chair, Agamemnon House, Lindisfarne Close, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 2SB.
Office: 02392 387 086

b. Complaints

The Complaints Policy and Procedure can be found in the Association’s housing application pack. Further copies can be obtained from the website or main office.

Our Privacy Notice can be found in the Association’s housing application pack. Further copies can be obtained from the website or main office.

Confirmation is sought from all applicants that they have read this Privacy Notice.

Applicants are informed on application forms why their personal data, including sensitive ‘Special Category Data’, is collected and when it may be shared. Consent is sought from all applicants to process this data.

The Privacy Notice details how the Association uses personal information including how to contact the Associations Data Protection Officer (DPO). The Privacy Notice states the rights of anyone whose data is held and processed by the Association, including the right to ask for a copy of the information held. The DPO can be contacted at the Association’s main office:

Data Protection Officer, Agamemnon House, Lindisfarne Close, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 2SB.  Office: 02392 387 086

Applicants should be certain that the information supplied on any application form is correct in every way. Any attempt to gain an unfair advantage by giving false statements, withholding information or failing to disclose changes of circumstances may result in applications being cancelled or possession proceedings being taken.

For further information on the allocation of the Association’s properties please contact the Lettings Officer using the following details.

• Telephone: 02392 387 086
• Email: enquires@agamemnon.org.uk
• Website: https://agamemnon.org.uk
• Postal address: Agamemnon House, Lindisfarne Close, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 2SB.

New / Direct Applications

Available properties that are not allocated through local authority nominations agreement will be allocated through a variety of methods and will be subject to the criteria in this policy.
AHA holds a housing waiting list for all new or direct applicants seeking sheltered housing.
There are two parts to the housing waiting list:

• an Active A List for applicants ready to move within the next twelve months
• an Inactive B List for those applicants not yet ready to move.

All applicants wishing to be considered for AHA’s sheltered housing, should complete an Application for Sheltered Housing form.

Active A List
Banding

A banding system is used within the Active A list to prioritise applicants for housing.
The table below provides examples of circumstances that would be awarded priority. The examples are not exhaustive and AHA may at times exercise discretion to award priority for circumstances

Band Start Date

Each completed Application for Sheltered Housing form is date stamped on the day it is received at the Association’s Main office and placed onto the Housing management system.

For applicants that are successfully placed directly onto the Active A List, this application date will become their Band Start Date.

For applicants who are successfully moved to the Active A List, having initially been placed on the Inactive B List, their Band Start Date will be the date their request to be moved to was received.

 

All applications are held in Band Start Date order within each of the above Bands.

Verification of Details 

Before an application can be placed on the Active A List, AHA colleagues will meet with the applicants, this could be either in person at their current home, Scheme or head office to complete the Verification of Details they have supplied in their application. This is to ensure applicants would be eligible for an AHA tenancy and can live independently.

AHA Colleagues will need to see supporting documents for verification of the following:

• Age
• National Insurance Number
• Current Address
• Eligibility to rent social housing in England
• MOD or Service connection
• Local connection
• Information on change of circumstances i.e.health needs, cohabiting etc.
• Financial details, income, savings, investments, demonstrating ability to pay rent and sustain tenancy
• Financial interest in any property/assets and whether equity can be released to resolve own housing needs
• Intention to use AHA property as main or principal home
• Intention to end any other tenancy upon being rehoused
• Intention to sell own property upon being rehoused

If applicants demonstrate they have the financial means to resolve their housing need, it is expected that they do this, and their application will be placed in the lowest priority Band.

Outcome

Applicants will be informed in writing (preferable by email) of the outcome of their application, including the following:

• the Band in which their application has been placed
• their Band Start date

OR

• the reason(s) their application has been refused.

Inactive B List

Applicants who are not ready to consider a move within the next year but wish to be included on the Inactive B list will have their housing application form date stamped when it is received in AHA’s main office and placed onto the Housing management system.

Applicants will not complete the Verification of Details at this stage.

AHA Colleagues will check the application form to ensure that the applicant meets the criteria and will respond if further information is required.

 

Outcome

Applicants will be informed in writing (preferable by email) of the outcome of their application:

• that their application has been placed on the Inactive B List
• and given information regarding moving their application to the Active A List.

OR

• the reason(s) their application has been refused

Moving from Inactive B List to Active A List

When applicants feel ready to consider a move within the next twelve months, they can request that their application be moved on to the Active A List. Their application will receive a Request to Be Moved Date.

Acceptance onto the Inactive B list does not guarantee acceptance onto the Active A list.  

Before an application can be moved on the Active A List, AHA colleagues will meet with the applicants, this could be either in person at their current home, Scheme or head office to complete the Verification of Details they have supplied in their application This is to ensure applicants would be eligible for an AHA tenancy and can live independently.

For applicants who are successfully moved to the Active A List from the Inactive B List, their Band Start Date will be their Request to Be Moved Date.

 

Outcome

Applicants will be informed in writing (preferable email) of the outcome of their request, including:

• the Band in which their application has been placed
• their Band Start Date

OR

• the reason(s) their application has been refused

 

Transfers

Existing AHA tenants who wish to apply for a Transfer to another AHA property should complete a Transfer Request Form.

Completed Transfer Request forms will be date stamped and placed onto the housing management system when they are received in the Association’s main office. This is known as the Transfer Request Date.

Transfer Eligibility Criteria

AHA tenants will be eligible to apply for a transfer if the following apply:

• There is no damage or re-chargeable repairs needed in the property
• There are no rent arrears or other charges owing to AHA
• They are able to live independently
• If assessed appropriate care package in place
• The applicant, a member of their household, guests or visitors to their home have not perpetrated Anti-Social Behaviour, harassment, domestic violence, or other unacceptable behaviour, including a history of causing serious nuisance or annoyance to neighbours
• The applicant is not in breach of any other conditions of the tenancy agreement
• There is no evidence of violence or threats of violence, harassment, or intimidation towards AHA Colleagues or contractors

Before an application can be added to the Active List A, AHA Colleagues will meet with applicants, usually in their current home, scheme or head office to complete the Verification of Details they have supplied in their application This is to ensure applicants would be eligible for a AHA tenancy Transfer.

Transfer applicants will also be made aware of the following points:

• Transferring tenants will need to give notice on their current property in accordance with their Tenancy Agreement
• Transfer applicants who turn down three suitable properties will have their application removed from the Transfer List

Eligible applications will be added to Active List A and a priority awarded. 

Priority Awarded

The table below provides examples of circumstances that would be awarded priority.  The examples are not exhaustive and AHA may at times exercise discretion to award priority for circumstances other than those listed.

All eligible Transfer applications are held in Transfer Request Date order within each of the above Bands.

Outcome

Applicants will be informed in writing of the outcome of their application, including:

• confirmation of the Transfer Request Date
• Priority awarded
• Information on how properties will be allocated to the Transfer List

OR

• The reason(s) their application has been refused

Appendix 1

 Individual Attributes for housing application