Quick Guide
Right Size strategy
Version: 2 – Nov 2012
disconnection and reconnection of telephones,
cookers, washing machines, and redirection of
mail, updating address details with utilities
companies, and;
Introduction
Southern Housing Group has a strategy that
commits us to reducing overcrowding and
underoccupation within our stock, by ensuring that
as many people as possible live in the ‘right size‘
property for their household’s needs.
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financial support or actual support with moving.
How will this affect overcrowded
households?
This quick guide explains our approach to achieving
this objective. We have updated our approach
because of the Government’s Welfare Reform
programme, to take into account the changes the
Government is making to housing benefit from April
2013, including the reductions it will apply to housing
benefit payments to people who are underoccupying
by one or more bedrooms.
We aim to reduce overcrowding in our stock. We
will do this by:
•
ensuring residents are aware of the legal
position regarding overcrowding and only
allocating properties in line with our letting
standard;
•
continuing to require a tenant at the start of the
tenancy to give details of all people who will be
occupying the property – and monitor this
through tenancy audit and internal observation
by estate based staff;
•
not giving permission for a lodger or a new
household member if overcrowding will result;
We offer a range of help to underoccupiers so they
can move. We have trained staff who can discuss
your options, downsizing needs and preferences
with you to establish how best to help.
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through the internal transfer procedure, giving a
high priority for offers of available lettings to
households who are overcrowded – we aim to
increase the number of these properties
available through our Right Size strategy;
The support we can offer you may include;
• A high priority in our transfer list
•
Housing Management and lettings teams
working together on your behalf to identify
potential lettings chains from our transfer lists;
•
if you have adult children ready to leave home,
consider offering them a tenancy of their own, in
accordance with the eligibility criteria set out in
our Next Generation policy;
The strategy and the policies that support our
approach apply to secure, assured, and fixed-term
affordable rent residents of Southern Housing
Group.
How will we support underoccupiers
to move?
•
help in understanding the benefits of a move to a
smaller property and what your options might be;
•
where possible, for those moving out of large
family size housing to property at least two
bedrooms smaller, accommodating requests for
fixtures and fittings at a new property;
•
being flexible about where you move to;
•
help with the practicalities of the move, including,
for example, help with updating Housing Benefit
claims, removals, disposal of unwanted items,
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Quick Guide: Right Size strategy
What other help might be available to
me?
Monitoring our performance
Monitoring Arrangements
We monitor the success of this strategy by;
• Monthly performance information on the change
in transfer list figures
Many Local Authorities run projects aimed at
supporting overcrowded households; for example
after school clubs might help your child with a quiet
place to do homework, or leisure activities might
help your family relax. We encourage our staff to be
aware of what other organisations offer in your area;
and we also recommend you look into this too.
Review date
This strategy was updated in October 2012. Unless
a reason arises to do it sooner, the strategy will next
be reviewed in 2014 within the current Operations
policy review cycle.
What priority will I be given?
Further information
Underoccupiers and overcrowded households
registering for a transfer to another property are
awarded a high priority on our transfer list. Priority
is given as follows:
Band B
If you would like any more information on this or any
of our policies or services please contact our
customer service centre or go to our website
www.shgroup.org.uk. If you live in a supported
housing scheme on the Isle of Wight you can also
speak to your local Housing Officer. Contact details
can be found on our web pages, on your Information
Card or in Open Door - your residents’ newsletter.
One bedroom overcrowded
Band A
Overcrowded by more than one
bedroom or underoccupying by
one bedroom or more
Band AA Applicant is eligible to succeed
to the tenancy of the property but
are underoccupying and are
willing to move to smaller
property OR applicant is
statutorily overcrowded.
Related documents
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Consultation
During May 2010 we consulted with residents and
staff about this Strategy and the measures we will
put in place to tackle underoccupation and
overcrowding, before launching this strategy in
October 2010.
Underoccupation policy
Underoccupation quick guide
Overcrowding policy
Overcrowding quick guide
Next Generation policy
Allocations & Letting Policy
Assignment Policy
Succession Policy.
Owner of the version: PST
Date of next review: 2014
Southern Housing Group train staff in the aims of
the strategy, and the approaches in the revised
policy and practice. We communicate with our
residents and stakeholders to promote our schemes,
and we enter into as many agreements as we can
secure with our Local Authority partners to
accommodate lettings chains
Southern Housing Group Limited is a charitable housing association.
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Quick Guide: Right Size strategy
Southern Housing Group Limited is a charitable housing association.
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