Introductory & Demoted Tenancy
The Consultation Process
In February 2008, The Council has agreed to
consult its tenants for introducing Introductory Tenancies and
Demoted Tenancies.
It was agreed by the Cabinet meeting on
30th September 2008 that, in order for Waltham Forest
Council to implement the Introductory Tenancies and Demoted
Tenancies, (as this represents a change in the Council’s housing
policy) under Section 105 of the Housing Act 1985, the Council had
to formally consult its secure tenants.
Therefore; the Preliminary Notice was hand
delivered to all the Council tenants, alongside the Introductory
Tenancies Guide and the Demoted Tenancies Guide. This was done
between 9 November 2008 to 25 November 2008 (During the same period
and in the same letter, tenants were also consulted on revising the
existing Council tenancy terms and conditions. Please see
LBWF Tenancy Terms and Conditions consultation
process).
The Council advised its tenants of the
proposed new tenancy schemes and invited tenants to comment and
express their opinions.
The 28 days statutory consultation process
commenced on 26 November 2008 and ended on 23 December 2008.
Tenants were encouraged to provide feedback
through a range of options. These included a telephone answer
machine service (call back service provided), e-mail, written
comments and attending surgeries. The full details of the
consultation are as follows:
- There were two press releases of the
afternoon and evening consultation surgeries were advertised to
tenants via Waltham Forest Magazine and posters were displayed at
over twenty estates
- Five separate drop-in open surgeries were
held. Different work and carer patterns were catered for by
providing both daytime and evening meetings. All the venues
were accessible by wheelchair users
- Approximately 110 residents attended these
consultation surgeries to ask questions and comment on implementing
these tenancies
- The majority of feedback from residents who
attended the sessions welcomed the proposals to implement the
Introductory Tenancies and Demoted Tenancies
- The documents included multi-language
paragraphs explaining what the document was about and how to get
help understanding it. Turkish- and Urdu-speaking tenants made
extensive use of this facility
- Additionally, staff met with people with
reading disabilities, read the document to them in full and
recorded their comments
- Tenants unable to leave their homes had the
option of telephoning to leave their comments or sending them via
e-mail
- Special group consultation meetings were run
in the sheltered housing schemes to ease access and help tenants
understand the proposals.
Following the consultation, the Council had
received positive responses and numerous enquiries from tenants who
were in favour to implement these new measures. Of those who
had responded:
Introductory Tenancies –
- 46% were in favour
- 52% had no opinion
- 2% were against
Demoted Tenancies –
- 46% were in favour
- 51% had no opinion
- 3% were against
Once the deadline for receiving comments had
passed, Ascham Homes prepared and presented a report of findings to
London Borough of Waltham Forest Cabinet meeting on 24 February
2009. During the meeting, the Cabinet had considered all the
comments that were received. The Cabinet also considered
further representation from a tenant who attended the
meeting. The Cabinet had then unanimously approved and agreed
to implement the Introductory Tenancies and Demoted Tenancies with
effect from 4 May 2009.
The Implementation
Process
The next step forward was to ensure that
tenants had been notified of the date the tenancies were to be
introduced. This was done by placing an article in the
Waltham Forest Magazine (Now known as Waltham Forest Newsletter) –
issue 49 on 4 May 2009.
Introductory Tenants will be given a hardcopy
of Introductory Tenancies Guide, during sign up stage.
However, it can also be downloaded from the links provided
above.
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