Report to identify and select the preferred repayment options to be made available to dwelling leaseholders with regards to rechargeable major repairs undertaken by the Council to their block of flats.

The Heads of Finance and Housing and Property has submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) which detailed a framework for the financial assistance options to be offered to Council residential leaseholders with regards to rechargeable major works undertaken by the Council.

Cllr Seamons, Board Member for Housing and Estate Regeneration presented the report.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

1.    Approve the Financial Assistance Framework set out in Appendix 2 of this report. The framework sets out the repayment options which may be offered to leaseholders being charged for major works undertaken by the Council on residential blocks of flats.

2.    Agree that where leaseholders are unable to pay a major works invoice in full within 14 days of receipt, they are entitled to apply for assistance under the Financial Assistance Framework. Applications will be assessed based on the qualifying eligibility criteria as set out in this report.

3.    Delegate authority to the Head of Finance and the Head of Housing & Property to operate the Financial Assistance Framework and the assessment process.

4.    Recommend that Council adopts the process for dealing with exceptional hardship as set out in “The Social Landlords Discretionary Reduction of Service Charges (England) Directions 2014”.