New policies agreed for Melton Council tenants

The fresh framework, which establishes protocols on issues such as empty properties, rent arrears, the rights to buy them and domestic abuse incidents, will come into force in April.

Consultation has taken place with members of both the Tenants Forum Executive Committee (TFEC) and the Community Safety Partnership to help finalise the new policies.

In terms of empty properties, or voids as they are known, the council pledges to ensure they are re-let as quickly as possible and that the house or flat is of a decent standard for living in.

The council will also aim to liaise fully with a tenant and explain clearly the steps taken during a potential re-possession, which would happen after rent arrears in excess of the equivalent of 10 weeks rent have built up or when breaches of the tenancy agreement have taken place.

Another policy will see covenants placed on rural council houses in certain villages to ensure if they are re-sold it must be to someone with a local connection.

Firm regulations are also in place now governing how the council responds to protect victims of domestic abuse in its properties.

Members of the cabinet agreed at their latest meeting the new housing police framework, which also includes regulations for the installing of aids such as hand rails and ramps for tenants whose circumstances change while they are living in a council property.

Councillor Alan Pearson, the council’s portfolio holder for housing and communities, said: “I was delighted to introduce the new tenancy agreement and a number of key housing policies, which demonstrate the real progress made in meeting our Corporate Priority Two, providing high quality council homes and landlord services.

“Given the recent Social Housing White Paper, I am confident that we are on the front foot in engaging with our tenants and improving the quality of the services we provide, and the new policies show our approach to working with tenants, for example in relation to adaptations to their homes to improve the quality of their lives.

“I also welcome the support for seeking approval from the government to allow the council, in some rural areas of the borough, to be able to place covenants on the re-sale of properties lost due to the Right to Buy, meaning that people without a local connection are restricted in being able to buy these properties.”