Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Head of Housing & Health setting out the background to the work of the Tenure Reform Working Group which was established to investigate the continued use of flexible tenancies for all properties and whether this type of tenure is beneficial for MDH and tenants. The report of the Working Group listing their recommendations is attached.

The Group were presented with a report * from the Head of Housing and Health. The Homes PDG had tasked the Tenure Reform Working Group to investigate the continued use of Flexible Tenancies for all properties and whether this type of tenure was beneficial for Mid Devon Housing (MDH) and tenants. The Working Group were asked to consider whether a change to the current tenure offerings required updating and if so what types of tenure should be offered to tenants in the future.

The Chairman of the Working Group provided a summary of their work and presented their findings:

·       The Working Group had given thorough thought and spent a lot of time undertaking the instructions of the PDG.

·       They had spoken to tenants to find out what they thought about Flexible Tenancies.

·       They had also looked into using more blended approaches.

·       They had concluded that there was quite an administrative burden to operating Flexible Tenancies requiring significant officer resource and costs to the Council.

·       Flexible Tenancies had been introduced in 2013 before the Grenfell disaster and many local authorities were now moving away from them.

·       Tenants had commented that they found the tenancy review process very stressful, particularly those tenants who were vulnerable.

·       There was also evidence that due to the sometimes temporary nature of the tenancy not as much care was sometimes taken of the properties.

RECOMMENDED to that Cabinet that:

a)           The use of flexible tenancies be halted.

b)           All current flexible tenancies are moved to secure tenancies.

(Proposed by Cllr C Connor and seconded by Cllr J Cairney)

It was also AGREED that a Working Group be established to look at ways in which Mid Devon Housing could incentivise tenants to downsize to smaller homes when required.

The Working Group would comprise of the following Members: Cllr C Connor, Cllr A Glover and Cllr H Tuffin.

Reason for the decision

It was good practice to review tenancy agreements on a regular basis to take account of changes to legislation, regulatory requirements, policy and good practice. Registered Providers also needed to ensure that those responsible for housing management could rely on a robust tenancy agreement which could be used in support of efficient and effective management of tenancies and the housing stock.

Note: (i) * Report previously circulated.

(ii) Cllr N Letch requested that her vote against the recommendations to the Cabinet be recorded.