Rescindment of Housing Policy HD17: Tenants in Arrears with Assets

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A decision made on 13 October 2009 to rescind Policy HD17: Tenants in Arrears with Assets

Decision Reference: MD-H-2009-0084
Decision Summary Title :	DS – Recommendation to rescind Policy HD17 – ‘Tenants in arrears With Assets’.		Date of Decision Summary:	21st September 2009
Decision Summary Author:	Director of Client Services		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	WR – Recommendation to rescind Policy HD17 – Tenants in arrears With Assets		Date of Written Report:	21st September 2009
Written Report Author:	Director of Client Services		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Recommendation to rescind Policy HD17 – Tenants in arrears With Assets
Decision(s): The Minister:- Agreed to rescind Policy HD17 – ‘Tenants in Arrears with Assets’ from the Housing Department’s active Policy Register.
Reason(s) for Decision: Policy HD17 is no longer appropriate for the active management of rental arrears.
Resource Implications: None. Policy HD4 ‘Rent Arrears Policy’ sufficiently supports the department’s current arrears recovery strategy.
Action required: Director of Client Services to remove the Policy from the active Policy register.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Rescindment of Housing Policy HD17: Tenants in Arrears with Assets

REPORT FOR THE HOUSING MINISTER

Recommendation to rescind Policy HD17 – Tenants in Arrears With Assets.

Purpose of the Report

To request approval for Policy HD17 to be removed from the Housing Department’s active Policy Register.

Background

Policy HD17 was approved by the Housing Minister on 30th April 2007 under Ministerial Decision MD-H-2007-0028.

At that time, the Housing Department administered the Rent Abatement Scheme which offered information regarding those assets at the disposal of applicants. Policy HD17 was designed to apply such information for the purposes of rental arrears recovery where practical and appropriate to do so.

On 28th January 2008 the Rent Abatement Scheme ceased to exist following the implementation of the Income Support Scheme now administered by the Social Security Department. All matters of financial information for existing tenants are now received by the Social Security Department and the information required to enforce the provisions of Policy HD17 is no longer made available to the Housing Department.

Wherever possible, tenants experiencing rental arrears are managed within the provisions of Policy HD4 the ‘Rent Arrears Policy’. Such action includes the gathering of financial information with consent of the tenant and using this information to create a manageable repayment scheme, Petty Debt Court action and in liaison with the Viscounts Department where further action is desirable.

Recommendation

Given that Policy HD17 is therefore no longer effective or appropriate for the management of rental arrears, it is recommended that the Housing Minister rescind this policy.

Report Drafted By:- Mike Porter Date: 21st September 2009

Director of Client Services

Report Checked By:- Ian K Gallichan Date: 21st September 2009 Chief Officer of Housing

Report Approved By:- J C Hamon Date:

FINANCE DIRECTOR