Agenda item

The Committee will receive a report on the progress made against the objectives of the Housing RCT Project.  This agenda item will be led by the Service Improvement Manager.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Committee review this report and agree any observations or comments it wishes to pass to the Executive.

The Service Improvement Manager reported that since the end of Spring 2020, staff have been recovering the services from the situation caused by the first lockdown.  Staff continued to collect rents in an empathetic way.  The Council continued to perform well on rent collection although it was not meeting its targets.  3% was the national average for rent arrears.  Waverley had rent arrears of just under 1%.  At the end of December 2020 Waverley’s rent arrears losses totalled £290,000.  872 tenants had made a universal credit claim.  400 more residents had made claims for universal credit since March 2020 which showed the effect the pandemic was having on council tenants.

There had been an extension of the rules to not allow evictions during the pandemic.  The Service Improvement Manager explained that it was possible to take legal action for severe cases of non-payment of rent but this was not a method the Council wanted to use.  There was one tenant with very high levels of rent arrears at the present time.  Action would not be taken as there were questions surrounding the capacity of the tenant.

Progress was being made with re-letting homes, 98 were re-let in quarter three.  Nineteen were let within target.

The service were clearing the backlog of responsive repairs.

At the end of December 2020, 99.8% of properties had had a gas safety check (five homes without a valid certificate).  The team continue to try to make contact with the residents to gain access.  Two homes have tenants who are shielding, two cases have escalated accordingly and the fifth access was gained early January and safety check completed.

The Capital Works programme was reforecast.  50% of the budget was allocated and committed for 2020/21. The 50% underspend remains in the reserve for future programmes. 

It was stated that it was not the case that people were wanting responsive repairs but not letting people have access.  It was further noted that risk assessments were carried out before anyone went into a home.  External work at Blunden Court has been completed and internal works have commenced.  Refuge flats had also been set up for people whilst work was carried out in their homes.

The housing team had implemented new ways of working and were continuing to adapt and respond to the changing environment caused by the pandemic.

The Chairman asked whether the Council were building up a log jam of tenants who would need to be evicted after the Covid crisis had abated.  The Service Improvement Manager explained that the Council had been actively engaging with tenants, notices could be served on households with six months’ rent arrears which helped to prioritise rent and arrears payments.  Eviction was always a last resort.  There were only two evictions last year, normally taken to get legal possession of the home following serious arrears and the tenant abandoning the home.  Waverley has a responsibility to those homeless or threatened with homelessness.  The Rents and Homelessness teams work together to advise tenants and make them understand the seriousness of the situation.  The Council has a really good track record of preventing homelessness.

The Committee commended the work of the service in difficult conditions.