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A decision made (30/04/2007) regarding: Approval of Policy HD17 - Tenants in Arrears with Assets.

Subject:	Approval of Policy HD17 – Tenants in Arrears with Assets
Decision Reference:	MD-H-2007-0028	Exempt clause(s):
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Written	Person Giving Report (if oral):
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?		Report File ref:		…Compliance/tenants in arrears with assets
Written Report – Title	Approval of Policy HD17 – Tenants in Arrears with Assets	Written report - author		Mrs L Baudains – Compliance Officer
Decision(s): The Minister approved Policy HD17 – Tenants in Arrears with Assets
Reason(s) for decision To ensure the existence of a robust and transparent policy in respect of the recovery of rent arrears from tenants with the means to repay
Resource implications Financial: A Reduction in rent arrears of up to £203,240 Manpower: NIL Property: NIL ICT: NIL Law Drafting: NIL
Action required:
Signature: (Minister/ Assistant Minister)			Date of Decision: 30 April 2007

Approval of Policy HD17 - Tenants in Arrears with Assets.

Date of Report: - 16th April 2007

Report for Housing Minister

Approval of Policy HD17 - Tenants in Rent Arrears with Assets

Background

As part of the Rent Abatement process tenants are expected to supply all information regarding income and any savings or assets.

Recent figures from the abatements submitted during the preceding 12 months show that there are 2,584 tenants with declared assets totalling £24,492,820.27.

Relevant Statistics

There are:

 366 tenants who owe in excess of £1,000 in rent arrears

 106 of those 366 with declared assets of £ 217,139.87

 1 of the 106 has assets of £127,356.20

 11 of the 106 who have sufficient savings to completely clear their debts

 95 of the 106 who have insufficient savings to clear their debts in full but could reduce their indebtedness significantly

 £ 203,240.88 outstanding from these 106 tenants

A policy document, Housing Department Policy HD 17 ‘Tenants in Arrears with Assets’ has been developed to provide specifically for these and future cases.

Recommendation

That the Minister approve Policy HD17 ‘Tenants in Arrears with Assets’

Louise Baudains

Compliance Officer

13/04/07

POLICY HD17

STATES OF JERSEY HOUSING DEPARTMENT

POLICY IN RESPECT OF

Tenants in Rent Arrears with Assets

The Housing Department has a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

in respect of rent arrears

Policy HD4 describes the Departments approach where rent accounts of current tenants are in arrears. The term “Rent Arrears” applies only to rent, not any other debts incurred by the Tenant.

The Policy applies to all rented property administered by the Housing Department. The Department expects tenants to prioritise rent above other bills.

This Policy deals predominately with tenants in arrears who have declared assets.

As part of the Rent Abatement process tenants are expected to supply all information regarding income and any savings or assets. Tenants are obliged to provide information to the Department if their income changes throughout the duration of their tenancy in order to ensure that they are being assessed accurately for Rent Subsidy.

Aims

It is inappropriate that any tenant, whether or not they are receiving rent subsidy, has rent arrears with the Department whist having the means at their disposal to completely repay or reduce that debt.

Tenants with assets greater than their arrears should be asked to clear the balance from their savings. Where the savings will not be sufficient to meet the full debt they will be required to reduce their arrears balance as much as possible from those savings.

If tenants state that they are unable to clear their arrears with savings – i.e. not having sufficient savings any longer, high interest account which they can not access etc… - they should be asked to provide bank statements or written confirmation of this to the Department. If they can provide these details they will be asked to agree a realistic repayment plan with the Department based on the established Policy in respect of Rent Arrears (Policy HD4).

Sanctions

Should tenants refuse to clear their rent arrears with their savings and/or refuse to provide the information requested they may then be referred to the Petty Debts Court for immediate settlement of the debt. A copy of their declared assets will be provided to the Law Officers as evidence of their ability to pay.

Effective Date

The Policy shall become active on the date on which the respective Ministerial Decision is signed by the Minister.

Policy Drafted	16th April 2007	Louise Baudains

Policy Reviews	Date	Reviewed By