Local lettings policy for Stonewater – St Georges

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 Home Choice Common Allocations Policy & Stonewater’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.

Approach

1. We have 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 LA register for a particular scheme
2. In order to make best use of affordable, housing priority will be given to people under occupying social housing
3. Aim to allocate 50% of the properties to residents who are economically active and working either full time or part time and not wholly reliant on benefits
4. Minimise the need for transfers by allocating properties to accommodate existing family growth
5. We 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.
6. We reserve the right to exclude any applicant with a current or history of substance or alcohol misuse within the last 3 years
7. All applicants will be assessed to ensure they meet Stonewater’s affordability criteria and will be subject to a credit check
8. The local lettings plan will be flexible and non-discriminatory

Duration of local lettings plan

First and subsequent relets for a period of 3 years