Agenda item

Councillor Chris Westwood, Cabinet Member for Housing introduced the report, ref EHP56 which set out proposals for the Housing Repairs And Maintenance Policy, (available here).  The introduction included the following points.

1. The report presented four proposed policies for review and comment: Disabled Adaptations, Housing Repairs and Maintenance, Housing Repairs Recharge, and Managing Damp and Mold.
2. Tenant input had been gathered through a survey in May 2024 regarding the future operation of the repairs service and to support the retendering of the repairs and maintenance contract.
3. Following an online consultation, workshops were held with tenants and members and feedback was incorporated into the updated policies.
4. The policies would inform the Council's future approach to delivering housing repairs and maintenance, aiming for consistent application across all areas.
5. The Committee's comments were sought on the four policies before a further tenant consultation.
6. The draft policies, incorporating the Committee's comments, would be presented to Cabinet Committee: Housing in July 2025 for approval.
7. Approval of the policies would contribute to the modernisation of Housing Services by clearly defining the scope of services covered and ensuring consistent and easily understood application.

The committee was asked to review and comment upon the proposed four

Policies attached, namely:

1. Disabled Adaptations Policy

2. Housing Repairs And Maintenance Policy

3. Housing Repairs Recharge Policy

4. Managing Damp And Mould.

The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the report. In summary, the following matters were raised.

Disabled Adaptations Policy

1. A question was asked regarding the inclusion of disability due to injury or accident as part of the policy.
2. Clarification was sought regarding the appeals process across all four policies and whether it adequately addressed tenant dissatisfaction with decisions.
3. It was asked how the council would enforce the actions in the policies universally.
4. Questions were raised concerning budgets and the estimated need for adaptations, considering the local ageing population.
5. A question was asked regarding timescales, specifically the 12-month timeframe for approved adaptations and whether a more challenging target would be useful.
6. Clarification was sought regarding item 5.4 on page 35, regarding properties adapted for disabilities being let to able-bodied individuals and if they could then be evicted if a disabled applicant needed the property.
7. Following a previous point, it was questioned how adaptations would be applied to properties occupied by able-bodied individuals, given the potential need for larger properties by families.
8. A question was asked about including a clawback on the policy regarding adaptations and the right to buy.
9. A question was asked about training available for a broader group of officers to support the implementation of the policy.

Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy

1. A question was asked regarding emergency repairs and recharges, specifically regarding what constituted an emergency versus an urgent repair.
2. Clarification was sought on page 50 regarding minor repairs that should be carried out by the tenant, and whether there was a specific list in the tenancy agreement.
3. A question was raised about the tenant's responsibility to reduce humidity levels and how this aligned with damp and mould policies.
4. Assurances were sought that the out-of-hours process was sufficiently robust for the policy.
5. A question was asked regarding defects and whether a robust process would be to put in a review of new homes at a set period.
6. Concern was raised regarding the use of the term "moderate colour" on page 57.
7. A question was asked about the accuracy of the wording regarding the five-year stock condition survey within the planned works section.
8. A question was asked regarding page 53 and a wider view of the tenant’s responsibilities that the council would Recharge for.

Housing Repairs Recharge Policy

1. Regarding recharging for repairs and damage when a tenancy ends, it was asked what happened when a tenant died and if the council would try and recover money from an estate.
2. A comment was made regarding the code of conduct for contractors, specifically regards advising tenants of progress.
3. It was asked if the council had had success in implementing its previous policy in terms of recharges.
4. Further information was requested regarding the scale of these charges.
5. Regarding 5.9 on page 69, which refers to tenants seeking consent to carry out works themselves and a quality check potentially being carried out by council surveyors and who would carry the cost for that survey.

Damp and Mould Policy

1. Given the high profile of Awaab's Law and the stricter timescales relating to dealing with damp and mould, a question was asked if this policy included those stricter timescales.
2. Regarding the causes of dampness, particularly moisture released through drying clothes, a question was asked whether the council might provide outdoor drying facilities.
3. For private tenants, how did we empower them to complain about their landlord if no action on previously raised issues had been taken?
4. It was asked whether it would be feasible for council contractors who were going into the properties to undertake repairs, would be able to report back on any damp and mould issues noticed.
5. Regarding the performance measures on page 89, a question was asked about the systems and mechanisms being used to capture the data for the weekly report to be put on the website.
6. A general question was asked regarding how recently the policies were last reviewed and whether these review dates could be included in the documents.

These points were responded to by Councillor Chris Westwood, Cabinet Member for Housing, Gilly Knight, Corporate Head of Housing and Simon Hendey, Strategic Director accordingly.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the committee thanked officers for bringing the new policies together, noting that they provide clarity on the responsibilities of both tenants and the council.

2.    The committee raised the importance of a robust appeals process, particularly for the recharge policy, anticipating potential challenges from tenants due to its new implementation.

3.    That the committee welcomed the regular review of the policies and suggested stating the implementation date and review date on the policy itself.

4.    That the committee requested a review of the policies at this committee in one year, following implementation, to assess the actual situation.

5.    That the cabinet member considers the committee’s comments raised during the discussion of the item.