Local lettings policy for Abri – Green Park

Reason for Local lettings plan

• To help achieve balanced communities and support greater community cohesion and sustainability; in doing so contribute to making the area an even better place to live, work and visit.
• Meet the requirements of the Reading Borough Council’s Allocations Scheme & Abri’s Allocations Policy to ensure allocations are made to suitable applicants
• Ensure that current and future residents feel safe and content in their homes
• Make the best use of housing stock
• Reduce unnecessary turnover and potential refusals of properties
• To give opportunities to those who are economically active and have restricted housing options.
• To manage child density within the development
• To mitigate for any risks of antisocial behaviour and criminal activity

Approach

1. Abri has an Access to Housing Policy and as part of this an eligibility criteria where we have set out reasons why we may not select an applicant from a Local Authority register for a particular scheme
2. Aim to allocate 35% of the properties to residents who are economically active and working either full time or part time or in voluntary work.
3. Aim to allocate a minimum of 35% homeless households for the 2 bedroom flats. 
4. Abri reserve the right to exclude any applicant with a housing related debt (where there is no agreement in place to clear the debt) or an outstanding notice for any breaches of tenancy with a registered social landlord may be excluded.
5. Abri reserve the right to exclude any applicant with a current or history of substance or alcohol misuse, Violent crimes of anti-social behaviour, Harassment or Sexual violence within the last 5 years. Those under investigation will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Reading borough council will complete these checks by reviewing information held on file and information held by previous landlords, we will also complete police checks where necessary. 
6. All applicants will be assessed to ensure they meet Abri’s affordability criteria and will be subject to a credit check
7. The local lettings plan will be flexible and non-discriminatory

Child Density

To support with child density at the block 35% of the 2-bedroom flats will be offered to households with 1 child only. 

Duration of local lettings plan

The Local lettings plan will remain in place until all the rented units are occupied on first letting only. 

It will be reviewed by Reading Borough Council and Abri in 12 months to see if it has prevented any ASB/neighbourhood complaints.