Agenda item

Agenda item

Update on the work of the Section 21 team based within the Housing Solutions Team

Report of the Director of Adult Services

 

This report provides an update on the work of the newly created team in the Housing Solutions Service, whose role is to specifically focus upon supporting people who receive a Section 21 notice from their landlord to leave the accommodation.

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Adult Services that provided an update on the work of the newly created team in the Housing Solutions Service, whose role was to specifically focus upon supporting people who receive a Section 21 notice from their landlord to leave the accommodation.

 

The Strategic Lead for Homelessness referred to the main points and themes within the report which included: -

 

·         Data on the levels of homeless presentations within Manchester;

·         A description of Section 21 notices and the legal process;

·         A description of the Court Service that was based in the Manchester Civil Justice Centre and the offer that they deliver;

·         The new process for homeless applicants who present with a Section 21 notice;

·         Outcomes of the Section 21 Team, noting that the team had been established for four months;

·         Analysis of the financial impact of the Section 21 Team; and

·         The outcome of this service was that more people were able to remain in their accommodation longer; were avoiding emergency accommodation and having more opportunity to access a property in the area of their choice.

 

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

 

·         Had recent changes announced in relation to the Landlord Tenant Act 2012 had any impact on Section 21 procedures;

·         How was the service publicised across the city;

·         How many staff were employed in the Court Service and how many people do they see each month;

·         What ‘incentives’ could be used by the team to help negotiate with landlords to prevent evictions;

·         More information was sought on the dispersal of homeless families, noting the detrimental impact this had on families and children’s education and requested that the report that was to be submitted to the July meeting include comparative data on the numbers affected by this and case studies be provided; and

·         What follow up support was offered to residents who had engaged with the service.

 

The Section 21 Team Manager informed the Committee that the recent changes announced to the Landlord Tenant Act 2012 did not impact on Section 21 procedures. He advised that the team negotiated with landlords to prevent evictions, advising that in certain circumstances the prevention fund could be used to clear arrears up to an agreed amount on the understanding that the Section 21 notice would be withdrawn by the landlord. He also advised that the team would also apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) on behalf of tenants experiencing a shortfall in their Housing Benefit. He further advised that the prevention fund could also be used to pay a bond to secure a tenancy with a private landlord.

 

The Section 21 Team Manager stated that there was currently two full time staff employed within the Court Service and that they dealt with approximately 80 people per month, noting that the breakdown was approximately 85% social landlord tenants, 7.5% mortgage repossession cases and 7.5% private rented sector tenants. Commenting that mortgage lenders were required to inform the local authority when there was an intention to instigate repossession proceedings and this allowed appropriate referrals for support and assistance to be made.

 

The Deputy Leader informed the Committee that a mapping exercise had been undertaken in relation to factors that caused homelessness and analysis of these results would then inform targeted prevention work. She further stated that the recently appointed Director of Homelessness would be attending the July meeting to address the Committee.

 

The Deputy Leader stated that she supported the Government’s commitment to end the use of Section 21 notices, but they now needed to focus upon enacting this.

The Deputy Leader further advised that following a recent Peer Review of the use of DHP she remained committed to working with colleagues in the Revenues and Benefit Unit to ensure that DHP was best used to maximise the number of residents supported.

 

The Strategic Lead for Homelessness stated that for those residents who engaged with the service, support was offered by making referrals to various sources such as the Citizens Advice Manchester, Shelter, Cheetham Hill Advice Centre and Early Help Hubs. In relation to the issue of dispersed families she acknowledged the comment made by the Member, however stated that due to the levels of demand on the service it was not always possible to find accommodation within Manchester.     

 

The Strategic Lead for Homelessness informed the Committee that relevant Partners had been made aware of the Section 21 Team, and as the service was relatively new she wanted to be confident that it was working as intended before publicising more widely, however the intention was to do this and consideration would be given as to how best to do that.  

 

The Chair commented that homelessness was a very complex issue, including but not restricted to mental health and domestic violence, and requested that the report that was scheduled to be submitted to the July meeting include information on how the Homeless Service worked with other services and partner organisations to address homelessness. 

 

Decision

 

1. To recommended that the report entitled ‘Update on Homelessness and Housing’ that is scheduled for consideration by the Committee at the 17 July meeting include information and comparative data on dispersed families and case studies. In addition, the report will include information on how the Homeless Service worked with other services and partner organisations to address homelessness. 

 

2.  Noting the impact that dispersal had on homeless families and children’s education the Committee recommend that the Executive Member for Children and Schools and representatives from Children’s Services be in attendance at the July meeting.

 

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