Issue - meetings

Issue - meetings

Leaseholder Payment options for Major Works

 

 

Meeting: 15/10/2014 - City Executive Board (became Cabinet on 13 May 2019) (Item 64)

64 Leaseholder Payment options for Major Works pdf icon PDF 143 KB

The Heads of Finance and Housing and Property has submitted a report which details a framework for the financial assistance options to be offered to Council residential leaseholders with regards to rechargeable major works undertaken by the Council.

 

Officer Recommendations That the City Executive Board:

 

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”.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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”.

Meeting: 09/10/2014 - Housing Panel (Panel of the Scrutiny Committee) (Item 67)

67 Leaseholder Payment options for Major Works pdf icon PDF 132 KB

Officer: Stephen Clarke, Head of Housing

Telephone: 01865 252447

Email: sclarke@oxford.gov.uk

 

Background Information

 

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 City Executive Board on 15 October 2014 will be asked to consider the following recommendations:

·         That the Financial Assistance Framework set out in Appendix 2 of this report is approved. 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.

 

·         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.

 

·         That delegated authority is granted to the Head of Finance and the Head of Housing & Property to operate the Financial Assistance Framework and the assessment process.  

 

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

 

Why is it on the agenda?

 

The Scrutiny Committee on 23 June identified this item for pre-scrutiny.

 

Members may wish to explore:

·         The risks and benefits of the options set out in Financial Assistance Framework to both the City Council and to Leaseholders. 

·         The circumstances in which the City Council may prefer to offer different options.

·         The City Council’s approach to using new discretionary powers in cases of exceptional hardship.

 

Who has been invited to comment?

 

Councillor Seamons, Board Member for Housing and Estate Regeneration, and Stephen Clarke, Head of Housing, have been invited to attend to introduce their report and answer questions.

 


Minutes:

The Panel were satisfied that the framework set out in the report is sensible and fair, and fully endorse this.

 

Members noted that there is no provision for leaseholders to pay into a sinking fund to cover the cost of major works.  To introduce a sinking fund now for existing leaseholders would involve changing the terms of all leases, while establishing a sinking fund for new leaseholders would create a new level of administration but with few benefits to start with, so there isn’t a strong case for doing this.