Affordable Housing
What is Affordable Housing?
The Government is committed to providing high
quality housing for people who are unable to access or afford
market housing. The Government defines affordable housing as
including social rented and intermediate
housing.
Social rented housing is
rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and Housing
Associations.
Intermediate affordable
housing is housing at prices and rents above those of social rent
but below market price or rents. These can include Keyworker
housing, shared equity (eg HomeBuy) and other low cost homes for
sale, and intermediate rent.
What are Housing Associations?
Housing Associations (or Registered Social Landlords
(
RSLs))
are
regulated by Government through the
Homes and Communities
Agency (HCA) and operate within strict regulatory
codes. They are the main providers of new social housing in
the Country.
The Council owns no council homes of its own. Its stock
of housing was transferred to Eastleigh Housing Association in
1996. Any new affordable homes developed in the Borough
are produced by one of the partner Housing Associations and
not directly by the Council.
The Council retains the right to nominate people into
these new properties through the
Eastleigh
Homechoice Housing Register . The Housing Association
then becomes the landlord of the new tenants who subsequently move
in.
If you are dissatisfied with the services of a Housing
Association the first step is to contact the association and try
and sort out the problem directly with them through their formal
complaints procedure. Should you still be dissatisfied, you
may take your complaint to the Independent
Housing
Ombudsman.
New Housing Development
A considerable amount of
new housing
development is being undertaken within the Borough.
The Council ensures that, where possible, an element of the
new housing is designated as "affordable" housing and is availble
for either rent or
Shared
Ownership. Further information is available on the
Eastleigh Homechoice
website.
Whilst other Associations do
have properties within the Borough, those listed below are the
main partners the Council uses at this time to
procure new housing:-
Home Ownership Initiatives
The Council offers a range of
options to people in housing need. Low Cost Home Ownership
is an important part of the Council's Housing
Strategy.
For more details on the various
schemes available please contact
Swaythling Housing Society, Home
Ownership Team by telephone on 02380 628000 or by
e-mail
info@swayhs.org.uk.
Alternatively full details of the
home ownership schemes can be found on the
Homes in Hants
website.
The Council provides information
regarding the sites coming forward with affordable housing
with an indication of estimated completion
timescales. When nearing completion, the properties
will be advertised through the
Eastleigh Homechoice
website unless otherwise stated.
Keyworker Housing
Eastleigh Borough Council adopts the national definition for a
Keyworker and will continue to align with it as and when it
changes.
Our first Keyworker Policy was adopted in December
2002. Given the time lapse, the policy has recently been
reviewed so that it reflects the latest guidance and practice
locally.
Accessible Homes Strategy
The Accessible
Homes Strategy (word) outlines the problems
faced by those with mobility related disabilities in accessing
suitable housing in the Borough of Eastleigh. It highlights the
already high and increasing costs associated with adaptation works
carried out to existing homes, sets the overall issue against the
context of current legislative and regulatory framework and
recommends progress towards the provision of lifetime homes and
wheelchair accessible housing.
Empty Properties
Information relating to
Empty Properties within the Borough is detailed within
Sections 4.3 and 7.5 of the
Private Sector Housing Renewal
Strategy 2004-2009.
The Council encourages owners of
empty properties to bring them back into use. This helps in
meeting the housing need in the Borough. It also reduces the
costs associated with an empty property and avoids properties
falling into disrepair, which in turn can cause further
problems on other properties in the area.
We have negotiated with
Portsmouth Housing
Association to offer a Private Sector Leasing Scheme
in the Borough.
This scheme involves homeowners
passing over their properties to the Housing Association to manage
for an agreed period of time for a monthly return. The Housing
Association in turn approaches the Council to seek nominations for
applicants in need of accommodation. For further information
on this scheme contact
Portsmouth Housing Association
on 02392 892304.
Empty properties can be a magnet for vandals etc.
If you know of a property that has been empty for some
time, contact the Environmental Health Team on 023 8068
8178 or e-mail
Housing@eastleigh.gov.uk
As well as seeking to develop
a leasing scheme through a Housing Association, the
Council also works with Private Sector Landlords in the
Borough. For an information pack contact the
Housing Advice Section on 023 8068 8165 / Fax 023 8068 8167 or
e-mail Housing@eastleigh.gov.uk
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Page Last Updated: 5/5/2009
Eastleigh Borough Council
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Eastleigh Borough Council, Civic Offices, Leigh Road, Eastleigh, SO50 9YN
Telephone:023 8068 8068; Fax:023 8068 8257; Text:07797 877001
Email:
direct@eastleigh.gov.uk