The Housing Selection Scheme Consultation Paper - Northern ...

Allocations to Transfers - Rule 72
Rule 72 of the Scheme contains a general principle when making allocations to
transfer applicants that a ratio of one transfer allocation for every two Waiting List
allocations should be employed. Underlying this rule, within guidance, is a policy
of awarding ‘Management Transfer status’ to certain categories of tenants to
allow Designated Officers the flexibility to make best use of their housing stock
by allowing Officers the discretion to transfer tenants, under certain
circumstances, without reference to their points level.
Our Proposal: It is proposed that the Housing Selection Scheme should relax
the transfer: applicant allocations ratio and introduce a new Management
Transfer category which will prioritise transferring tenants who are underoccupying
and wish to downsize, thereby freeing up the resulting vacancy to
applicants on the Waiting List in housing need.
Consultation Question 7
Do you agree with the proposal that the Housing Selection Scheme should relax
the current transfer: applicant allocations ratio and include an additional priority
Management Transfer category to address the needs of tenants who are under
occupying and are seeking to move to a smaller more affordable home?
Access to the Transfer List/Consent to a Mutual Exchange
The Housing Executive seeks to ensure that its policy on transfers does not pose
any barriers to those tenants affected by the size restriction wishing to downsize.
Therefore it is recognised that the current policy of refusing access to the transfer
list to tenants who have held that tenancy for less than two years and to those
tenants who are in rent arrears of four or more weeks should be amended.
Our Proposal: It is proposed on the basis of good housing management that this
access criterion is waived for tenants who have incurred arrears as a direct
consequence of the shortfall in Housing Benefit due to size restriction. Similarly,
the Housing Executive may wish to consent to a request for a suitable Mutual
Exchange (Assignment by Way of Exchange) for those tenants who are in
arrears as a direct result of the shortfall in Housing Benefit due to the size
restriction.
Consultation Question 8
Do you agree with the proposal that the criteria for access to the transfer list and
the discretion to withhold consent to a request for a Mutual Exchange should be
amended in circumstances where the tenant is under occupying and impacted by
the size restriction and seeks to move to smaller accommodation?
Proposals for Changes to the Housing Selection Scheme 14