Agenda item

The Director of Housing submits a report to the Housing Scrutiny Commission for noting to provide an update to Members on void performance for the first quarter of 2019/20.

The Director of Housing submitted a report for noting which provided an update on void performance for the first quarter of 2019/20.

Simon Nicholls, Head of Service, presented the reports and provided the following information:

·         The number of voids held was now less than 200.

·         The average time taken to re-let a property was reducing and improving and once ready took an average of 5.4 days to let. The longer a property was empty, the more rent was lost.

·         The council operated a 50-week year to give a two-week break over the Christmas period to tenants, defined as rent-free.

·         The council reported void figures based on the actual void period. Some other authorities based the void period on when contractors were working on a property, so it was hard to compare like for like with other authorities.

·         When void properties were checked they were clean, had an energy performance certificate, were asbestos safe, and meters changed.

·         A full range of repairs was undertaken in house on voids but work for example on full re-wiring and boilers was currently outsourced.

Members had previously stated that there needed to be a closer look at how tenants maintained their homes. It was noted that craft operatives saw the condition of a property on visits and fed back to neighbourhood housing officers to investigate further. Members were further informed there was a programme of welfare to visit vulnerable people, and visits are done on potential risk flags, for example, rent arrears, previous evictions, to prioritise checks on property conditions and support with a tenancy, and identify other issues. It was added it was not currently possible to visit all 21,000 homes every year to make sure people were maintaining properties due to resources.

Members were asked to note that the condition of housing stock coming back was a concern and appeared to be getting worse thus impacting on voids, and there needed to be a more stringent regime to protect properties. Also, the council was still liable for council tax on voids so it was essential that void times were reduced.

The Chair noted that in the past, if the standard of home improvements by the tenant was of a good standard and met health and safety requirements, the council would not require the tenant to put the property back to its original state. The Head of Service reported that if work was of a good standard and safe that remained the case.

Members were informed that there were many things that contributed to void times, including the age of a property, or a property had not had capital programme work at the request of former tenants by, for example, tenant refusal for upgrade and these need to be done when the property becomes void.

The Chair noted there were a lot of elderly people as council tenants who struggled to maintain gardens, and that the probation scheme used to be in place and could Housing look at supporting them through a finance scheme. Members were informed there was a scheme where people could pay for a gardening service, where the charge was on an hourly basis and at a reduced cost.

The Chair thanked the officer for the report.

AGREED:

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    Information on the gardening service scheme be provided to the Commission.