Lettings Policy for consultation

We are reviewing our Lettings Policy and we want to know what you think about it.

The main change to the policy is the move from the majority of allocations being made through the Choice Based Lettings schemes to ensuring we meet the nominations agreements in place with the Local Authorities we work with and the remaining homes being advertised through our own platform, My Move.

We know that housing need is not always identified through the recognised reasonable preference criteria (Appendix C). Changing the way we advertise our homes using My Move, means that we can take into account more than just the reasonable preference criteria when assessing housing need for applicants. We have consulted with you before on what additional criteria you think should be considered when allocating our homes and this has been taken into account in the revised policy and Appendix C.

We have made an amendment to our Lettings Criteria as part of this review. In our low-rise blocks, households with children aged 4 or under will not be housed above ground level. This is due to issues with prams and pushchair being left in communal areas, which poses a health and safety risk.

We have updated the section about home-owners being housed with Ongo Homes. We have made the information clear and easy to read, removing the reference to financial ability to meet own housing need.

We have made clear when we would refuse an applicant for housing, this wasn’t included in the policy previously but, in order to ensure compliance with the Tenancy Standard, is required.

We have included a section that details our stance on withdrawing offers of housing should additional information come to light that would have caused us to refuse the applicant.

We have added a section into the policy, which gives applicants the right to appeal a decision made by Ongo Homes in relation to housing allocations through My Move.

We really want to know what you think, take a look at the draft policy, which can be found here and the accompanying appendices:

• APPENDIX A 
• APPENDIX B 
• APPENDIX C 

Please share any feedback with the Strategy and Policy Team via e-mail (strategypolicyteam@ongo.co.uk) on or before the 29^th April 2021.