Purpose

To
approve the policy for how the Council carries out mutual exchanges
in terms of its council properties

Content

1.    
Cabinet considered the report
and approved the officer recommendations listed below:
 

 

Issue

Current Policy

Officer Recommendation

Tenant Proposal

1

Under-occupation

There is no under-occupation
permitted from an exchange

That under-occupation is permitted, but this
is limited to one bedroom.

Mutual Exchanges should be permitted where the
under-occupancy rate is not worsened in SCDC properties overall
(including like for like swaps)

2

Overcrowding

No overcrowding is
permitted.

That overcrowding is only
permitted in very specific cases linked to the lack of larger
accommodation (i.e. where a tenant has a 4 bedroom requirement and
wishes to swap to a 3 bedroom property where that property has an
additional room that can be used as a bedroom)

Overcrowding by 1
bedroom should be permitted across all
property sizes

3

Staffing

Mutual exchanges are dealt with
by generic housing officers (note: this is practice not
policy)

Mutual exchanges are dealt with by generic
housing officers (but the situation is monitored)

That an additional officer is appointed for
mutual exchanges (full time or part time)

4

Incentives to downsize

Incentives are offered to
transfer tenants who are in receipt of housing benefit and are
subject to the ‘bedroom tax’.

Incentives are offered to all people who
downsize through mutual exchange.
 
This will be linked to the number of bedrooms
freed up as an incentive to downsize fully.

Agreed with Officer
Recommendation.  Any incentive should
also cover removal costs.

5

Mutual Exchange Service

Applicants have access to
mutual exchange service (Exchange Locata) free of charge to find suitable
matches

Subscription to additional mutual exchange
service (HomeSwapper) to provide
improved access to greater number of potential matches free of cost
to tenants.

Agreed with Officer Recommendation

 
2.    
Cabinet approved the final version of the mutual
exchange policy at Appendix A to the report, and gave the Lead
Member for Housing authority to make minor amendments and any
subsequent changes relating to the value of the financial
incentive.