1. Management of flexible tenancies
Andrea Luker, Director of Strategy & Planning
Friday 3 March 2017

2. Agenda Why offer flexible tenancies in Westminster? Who gets what?
The review process
Impact of flexible tenancies
Creating places where people are proud to live

3. Why introduce flexible tenancies?
“it is no longer right that the government should require every social tenancy to be for life”
Grant Shapps, Minister for Housing in 2010
Creating places where people are proud to live

4. The Westminster context

5. The stock

6. Social Housing in Westminster 2013
24,000 social housing properties
4,000 on our waiting list
1, 000 available to let each year
How long would to clear the waiting list?
Studio - 3 years 1 month
1 bed - 2 years 5 months
2 bed - 6 years 8 months
3 bed - 8 years 5 months
4 bed- 12 years 5 months
5+ bed - 9 years 4 months

7. What do we offer? Tenancy Tenant Secure
Existing secure/assured tenants who move home and new tenants over 60
Intro & 5 year flexible
Intro & 2 year flexible
Most social housing tenants
Discretionary successions & worker tenancies
2 year flexible
Some discretionary successors
On renewal to existing flexible tenants with tenancy breaches plus
Creating places where people are proud to live

8. 4 Reasons for not renewing
Non-participation in the review
Serious & persistent tenancy breach
Serious housing related ASB conviction
Under occupation (but tenancy renewed at a smaller property & time given to bid)
Creating places where people are proud to live

9. Decisions at a flexible tenancy review
Are there breaches & should the tenancy be renewed?
What length of tenancy should be offered?
Is the property the right size/type?
Should the tenancy be renewed at the same or a different address?
What rent should we charge?
Creating places where people are proud to live

10. Rent Increases at the Review (2019)
Market rents, or 40% of net income, which ever is lower
where tenant/spouse/civil partner/partner income is:
£66k - up to 2 bed properties
£80k bed properties
Creating places where people are proud to live

11. The quiet revolution
Creating places where people are proud to live

12. Impact on tenancy management
Viewings & sign-ups
advising on tenancy types on offer
new tenancy agreement
service of a notice of flexible tenancy
advising on the request for a review of duration
Payment by direct debit
During the tenancy
Dealing with tenancy changes - sole to joint, succession, assignment, exchange
Changes to ending the tenancy during the fixed term
The review – an opportunity
20-30 per month
Changing the nature of the relationship with tenants?
Creating places where people are proud to live

13. Questions?
Creating places where people are proud to live