housing association application detail

[stuggling]

we have been bidding on properties for over 3 years with this housing association, but in band d, after having shelter involved as environmental health say out property is not safe to live in.

 

Shelter sent the reports and our sons report about his disabilities, we have been bidding with no problems for 3 years, then all of a sudden i couldn't log on to there system, after calling them, i was told the application was deleted due to rent arrears on a old property, of which we had paid off, but still want 1500 in charges from us!!

 

i not happy, Environmental health have said this house is not safe, but the local housing is run by this housing association, who have now told us we can no longer bid or be with us.

 

I've asked why they have done this after shelter got involved! they are refusing to answer us.

[ericsbrother]

you will need to explain a little more about these £1500 charges and how the HA got wind of them. You may have to send a SAR to several places to get to the bottom of it unless you can show the charges unlawfully or improperly applied.

Keep on at Shelter and send a formal complaint to the trustees of the HA, preferably to their home addresses as the mail sent via the office always gets intercepted.

[stu007]

Hi stuggling

 

I do hope what you were told during that call was also put in writing to you by the HA.

 

Now you mention rent arrears for an old property (do you know the dates are they correct?)

 

You also mention £1500 in charges (or rent) for what dates?

 

Formal Complaint time to the Housing Association (from now all communication should be in writing only ensuring to keep copies of all letters and get free proof of posting from post office)

 

Title the letter Formal Complaint and in the letter refer to both the rent arrears for the old property and the £1500 Charges and that you require copies of the following:

 

1. Complaints Policy.

2. Customer Care Standards/Policy.

3. Full Rent Statement copies from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX the Rent Arrears claimed for old property.

4. Copies of the letters sent by HA to tenant of a rent arrears issue.

5. Full Statements of the £1500 charges.

6. Rent and Service Charge Policy.

7. Allocations Policy.

8. Equality Policy.

 

IMPORTANT follow the Housing Associations complaints procedure to the final stage and once completed if you are still unsatisfied with the outcome/response you can then go to the Housing Ombudsman.

 

Have the HA taken any action at all to rectify the unsafe condition of the property by EVH? (if non I would speak to EVH again).

[stuggling]

The charges are rent arrears of which I've been paying £10 a week on its less then that now I know it is, it's at least 940,

 

It's a private landlord we rent off, HA are sending it in writing and I'm gonna take further.

 

The problem I now have is that EVH need us to move ASAP but this HA run the property's for our local council! So they won't help!

 

I'm at a loss what to do, we can't move out of area or it means me losing my job and children moving school, not easy with an ASD Child

[stu007]

Hi stuggling

 

So you were previously in a housing association property before renting privately but still have rent arrears for the previous HA property which is being paid off. (If I am wrong please correct me)

 

What make this difficult is 2 areas.

 

1. You are no longer a Tenant of the Housing Association.

2. You are renting Privately from a Private Landlord.

 

Sorry to ask but are you fully up to date with the private landlords rent?

 

Did you end your Tenancy with the Housing Association as per there Termination process?

 

You need to challenge the arrears amounts as I mentioned in post#3 but it seems that they are now using the arrears against you to stop you being able to bid on properties

(I am surprised with rent arrears that you were allowed to bid on HA properties for the length of time mentioned and they only pick it up now one word is coming to mind "Maladministration" but you need the evidence by doing what i suggested)

 

Is your deposit protected?

 

Has the Private Landlord taken any action to rectify what EVH have picked up?

[mariner51]

Are you still repaying HA arrears at £10 /wk as per repayment agreement or have you recently missed a payment or stopped paying? Which may explain the bid block.

[stuggling]

No missed payments,

 

We left HA as we got offered a house near family, with an a child with ASD and both of us working full time at the time it was a huge help.

 

We are fully upto date with current landlord didn't pay a deposit just 8 weeks rent in advance .

 

All the landlord has done is measure Windows 2 weeks ago! EVH says the kitchen is in urgent need of repair!

 

We asked HA, why now but they won't give a reason just tell me I can go back on the list in a year

[stuggling]

A Health and Welfare assessment was carried out on the 18th March 2016 and as part of this the application was reviewed and it was noted that in April 2015 the applicant had declared that they owed rent arrears from a former tenancy at , which ended on 08.01.12.

 

I have investigated the three rent accounts for this property and would advise you that there are former tenant arrears amounting to £3163.61. These amounts are made up of rent arrears of £1662.51, property recharges of £1401.00 and court costs of £100.00. I am aware that Miss & Mr were in dispute over the rechargeable arrears however payments were made on the rent arrears account as recently as January 2015.

 

Cont/………..

 

 

 

 

 

Section 3.2.4 of the current Property Pool Plus policy states;

 

3.2.4 Housing related debt

3.2.4.1 Housing related debts owed to a landlord equivalent to 8 weeks gross rent or greater will lead to a new or already registered application being disqualified from the Scheme. The application will be disqualified until such time as the applicant can provide evidence of having adhered to a repayment plan for a minimum of 52 weeks or having reduced the debt to below the equivalent of 8 weeks gross rent.

 

In order to become eligible to register on the scheme Miss & Mr will be required to reduce the outstanding debt to below 8 weeks gross rent (£669.04) or make a repayment plan and adhere to payments for 52 weeks. They will then be awarded a Band F (reduced preference) priority. Alternatively if they reduce the outstanding amount to below (£334.52) and they will be awarded a band award dependent on their circumstances at that time, at which point we would carry out a further Health & Welfare assessment.

 

 

The response, thing is I refuse to pay the 1401 as they won't give a breakdown as to what it's for! I've asked and asked it nothing, I was paying £10 pw till they demanded more