Agenda item

Objective: To provide the committee with the Rent Setting, Voids, Recharge and Repairs policies for sign off and recommendation to cabinet for approval

The Director of Governance, Housing and Communities introduced the updated policies for consideration and recommendation to Cabinet for final sign-off. She explained that:

-       The Rent Setting Policy explains how rent is set and reviewed, and sets out the differences in the types of rent.

-       The Recharge Policy seeks to provide information to tenants about when they may be recharged for repairs. For example, if tenants have caused deliberate damage to the home the council may seek to recover the costs of repairing the damage from the tenants. This includes broken doors, windows, lost keys and unsafe DIY. It also provides information about when charges would not apply, for example if the damage was a result of crime and there is a crime number, or if it is a domestic abuse case.

-       The Empty Homes (Voids) Policy sets out how voids will be managed going forward and sets out clearly what tenants can expect when they move into their new home, through a Lettable Standard. It also includes key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure the committee and tenants are able to hold the council to account and track performance.

-       The Repairs Policy covers repairs and maintenance for tenanted properties. Initially this had been intended to also cover leaseholder properties but feedback from the Leaseholder Forum made it clear that combining the two was leading to confusion and making it hard to follow. Currently working on a separate policy for leaseholders which will be taken to the Leaseholder Forum for consultation and then will be brought to the committee in January 2026.

-       Each policy has had an equality impact assessment carried out and a summary document for tenants has been produced to aid with understanding and digestion. These will be provided to tenants via the website.

The committee’s discussion raised the following points:

-       Concern was raised about how kitchens are dealt with. It was noted that the policy does not include that when a kitchen is taken out, it must be replaced fully. It is important to ensure that the process ensures that nobody gets half a kitchen, and equipment matches. It was confirmed that an ongoing piece of work is being undertaken with the installation contractor and that this will be considered for inclusion within either the policy or the process documents that sit behind the policy.

-       Previous discussions around the disposal of items that are still in good repair being removed were highlighted as non-sustainable. A hope was expressed that the council can move to a position where wherever possible improvements are maintained, especially as incoming tenants may not be able to afford to replace them. The Head of Housing Services assured the committee that where possible items are maintained. However, there are occasions where this is not straightforward. For example, kitchens and bathrooms need to have non-slip flooring to ensure safety, sometimes flooring has been fitted around furniture that has been removed, and sometimes there are asbestos tiles underneath. Where anything remaining is adequate a discussion is had with incoming tenants to confirm whether they would like to keep the items. If items are kept they will be noted on the tenancy sign-up as gifted, to reflect that the council will not maintain non-standard fixtures and fittings.

-       If a private sale has occurred on the private market leaseholders may not be aware that there could be asbestos floor tiles that could be disturbed if removing flooring. This will be included within the Leaseholder Handbook to ensure that they are aware of the risk and consideration will be given to how to improve communication on this matter. Most asbestos tiles have already been removed but they may still be present in a minority of properties.

The committee recommended that Cabinet approves:

-       The Rent Setting Policy (Appendix 2)

-       The Recharge Policy (Appendix 5)

-       The Empty Homes (Voids) Policy (Appendix 8)

-       The Repairs and Maintenance for Tenanted Properties Policy (Appendix 11)