Key to housing changes

While demand for council housing has gone up in recent years, the number of available properties has reduced.

Because of this, Hull Homesearch, the council service which helps people find suitable council homes, will be making some changes to the way properties are allocated. Customers will be notified when the changes take effect.

Points and banding system

A new points and banding system will be introduced in August 2009, which means that the current nine bands will be reduced to five (bands A – E).
Band A is for people who have two or more priority needs for housing, for example homelessness, statutory overcrowed households or a severe medical need, and Band B is for households with one priority need.
Applications in these bands will be prioritised based upon the date the priority was awarded.
Band C is for people who have a housing need which is not as acute as those in Bands A and B, while households in Band D are assessed as being adequately housed at present.
Applications in Bands C and D will be prioritised in accordance with their points entitlement.
Band E will include all applicants who have been moved from a higher band because of rent arrears or previous unacceptable behaviour and will be prioritised by application date.

Three-bedroom houses

Due to the limited availability of larger family homes, families with only one child will no longer be allocated three bedroom houses.

Direct lettings

Hull City Council may sometimes make a direct let outside the Hull HomeSearch bidding system, but only in the following situations:

• when current council tenants transfer from a larger property into a smaller one
• when properties are adapted for customers with physical disabilities, to ensure that properties are matched appropriately to the needs of customers
• in exceptionally urgent circumstances (for example when immediate re-housing is required)

Homeless priorities

Customers who are awarded a homeless priority will be given a period of three months to bid for suitable properties that are advertised. If a successful bid has not been made after three months, a direct offer of accommodation will be made that is reasonable in relation to property size and area. If this offer is refused, the council will have fulfilled its statutory duties and the homeless priority will be removed.

Gateway regeneration programme and clearance

Customers living in clearance areas will be directly offered appropriate accommodation outside the Hull HomeSearch system. Offers will be made on a 'like-for-like' basis, providing that the new property is not under-occupied by more than one bedroom.

Downsizing

A scheme has been agreed that will allow current council tenants to request a transfer to a smaller property without going through the bidding system. This frees up larger accommodation that is in short supply, which can then be advertised under the HomeSearch scheme.
Singles and couples who are under-occupying houses with three, four and five bedrooms will be able to transfer to properties with two bedrooms.

info

The HomeSearch report which details these changes is available on the council website at www.hullc.gov.uk by following the link to the HomeSearch page. Alternatively, call 300300 or visit any customer service centre or information point.