Agenda item

N.B.The Assistant Director of Property Services & Housing Repairs and the Housing Policy & Intelligence Officer left the meeting at this point.

The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement presented a report to consider and feedback on the new draft tenancy agreement.  The agreement was currently out to public consultation, ending on 29 April.  Once the consultation ended there would be a brief period to review comments then the new agreement would be approved and circulated to tenants.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to paragraph 3.3 in the current agreement (“You must not keep or use any more bottled gas”) and asked if this had been amended. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement confirmed this has been changed in the draft agreement.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to paragraph 4.3 in the current agreement (“You must not enter on any property that has not been let to you as part of the property”) and asked the reasons for this paragraph. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that the paragraph was there because of boundary disagreements.  This section was aimed at redefining access rights.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to Section 10 in the current agreement (‘Tenant Behaviour’) and asked if enforcing it would be changed in the new draft. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that the new draft would have more substance on tenant anti-social behaviour, and give officers more options like protection notices or fines.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury referred to Section 4.54 in the current agreement (‘Vehicles and Parking’)and asked if some of it could be enforced. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that things had been added to the new draft to allow them to deal with parking, like obstructing access.

Councillor Clive Moesby asked if provisions would be included for tenants who take in Ukrainian refugees. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement stated she would investigate if doing this would affect their benefits.

The Chair asked if the tenancy notice period was going to be reduced from four weeks to two weeks. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that they would be allowed to give two weeks’ notice in future where the property could be cleared in time.  Notice would still need to be given on a Monday.

The Chair asked what the reasoning had been behind tenancies in the new draft being able to start on any day of the week instead of just Monday. The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement explained that it was something that began during the COVID pandemic, and carrying on with it would offer the Council more flexibility and reduce void periods.

The Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement encouraged everyone to fill in the online Tenancy Agreement consultation questionnaire, which was in the ‘Consultation’ section of the Bolsover District Council website.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor David Dixon

RESOLVED to note the draft Agreement and provide comments for consideration as part of the formal consultation.

(Assistant Director - Housing Management & Enforcement)