Since 2009 we have been part of the North Lanarkshire Common Housing Register (CHR). The purpose of the CHR is to allow people to apply for social rented housing owned by us or any of the housing associations and co-operatives by completing one application form. As part of the move towards digital services, we are working on an online version of the application form to allow people quicker and easier access to apply for social housing.
We will continue to offer all applicants a chance to meet with a housing advisor to discuss their application in full and decide on the best housing option to suit their needs.
New lets in 2021/22
In 2021/22 we successfully housed 2,808 applicants from our waiting list. When properties become available, we aim to re-let them within as short a time as possible to minimise rent loss.
Our re-let time of 31.81 days is considerably better than the Scottish LA average of 59.4 days. We continue to review our processes and work with our contractors to ensure empty properties are turned around efficiently and that outcomes meet the expectations of our tenants.
Tenancy sustainment
Supporting tenants to remain in their homes is important to us, our aim is for tenants to remain in their home long-term. When a tenancy ends within the first year, we look at the reason for this and determine if there was anything we could have done to prevent it. Often the reason is outwith our control. In some cases, the end of a tenancy may signify a positive move, such as becoming an owner-occupier or moving into a new home with a partner.
In 2020/21 our tenancy sustainment levels increased to 90.92%
Tenancy instability is why many of our customers approach us in the first instance for advice and as housing applicants. We will take measures to prevent the issues the tenant may be experiencing from turning into homelessness. Whether the outcome is to provide support to resolve the existing issue and help them remain in their current home, or advice on housing options to find a housing solution that meets their needs.
We will also continue to focus on advice, assistance and support, including the offer of carrying out a financial assessment service by fully trained staff to all of our tenants.
Adaptations 2021/2022
We want to help people live comfortably and independently in their own home wherever possible. To do this, we carry out adaptations to people’s homes including the installation of wet floor showers, handrails and ramps, so that tenants can continue to live comfortably in their own home. The main aim of this work is to help improve the quality of life for tenants.
Our average time to complete adaptations has increased from previous years. However, this timescale has been directly impacted by the backlog of cases from the covid pandemic where access to people’s homes was restricted. The timescale can also fluctuate year on year depending on the type of adaptations people are being assessed for. We completed 912 adaptations in our tenants’ homes in 2021/22 at a cost of over £1.18m, ensuring those tenants can continue to live independently and more safely in their homes.