Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Head of Housing and Health reviewing and amending the MDH Tenancy Management Policy in light of the Cabinet decision to end the use of Flexible tenancies.

The Group had before it a report * from the Head of Housing and Health. The Mid Devon Housing (MDH) Tenancy Management Policy had been reviewed and amended due to the Cabinet decision to end the use of Flexible tenancies. It was last reviewed in 2022 and therefore not many changes were required. The revised Tenancy Management Policy removed any reference to Flexible tenancies.

The contents of the report were outlined with particular reference to the following:

·       The policy set out the requirements of tenants and the landlord.

·       This had been updated in 2022.

·       Because of the Cabinet decision to move away from Flexible Tenancies, any reference to this now needed to be removed from the policy hence why this had been brought before the Policy Development Group and as such this was merely a practical exercise.

Discussion took place regarding ‘rights to succession’ after the death of a tenant. It was explained that this was a historic concept which may no longer exists in specific circumstances but if a tenant had signed up to a tenancy when ‘rights of succession’ were in existence historically then that concept remained for that tenancy after the death of the tenant who had signed up to it.

RECOMMENDED to the Cabinet that:

The updated Mid Devon Housing Tenancy Management Policy and Equality Impact Assessment contained in Annexes A and B respectively be approved.

(Proposed by Cllr J Cairney and seconded by Cllr A Glover)

Reason for the decision

As a registered provider (RP) of social housing, the Council was obliged to take account of the standards contained within the revised regulatory framework which was administered by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). This stated that RPs should publish clear and accessible policies which outline their approach to tenancy management, including interventions to sustain tenancies and prevent unnecessary evictions, and tackling tenancy fraud.

Note: * Report previously circulated.