Offers of accommodation

Offers will normally be made to applicants who have been awarded the highest number of points within the specific sub-category of either the General or Transfer Register.

However, circumstances may arise where applicants will receive priority consideration but may not have the highest points level. In such cases the grounds for allocation must be fully documented.

An offer will remain open for five working days, within which time the applicant must contact the authority to accept provisionally or refuse the offer. Thereafter the offer is deemed to have lapsed and will be withdrawn.

Entitlement of Offers

Most categories of applicant are only entitled to one reasonable offer. These are:

• Elderly
• Statutory
• Physically Disabled Adaptation
• Welfare Management
• General
• Mobility
• Under 18
• Two sub-categories of applicant are entitled to two reasonable offers. They are:
• Decants
• Stock Optimisation

Withdrawal of Offers

An offer of accommodation can only be withdrawn, prior to the tenancy being signed, where:

The applicant has made a false declaration or has failed to provide up to date information, which if rectified substantially alters eligibility;

The information available at the time of offer about the vacant property was incorrect and it is subsequently discovered that the size and type is not suitable to the applicant's needs;

The wrong priority has been awarded and the applicant's eligibility is substantially altered;

The dwelling is required by the Council to fulfil a statutory obligation, for example: emergency rehousing.

Refusals

Reasonable Offers

All reasonable offers of accommodation are deemed to be reasonable offers unless the following circumstances apply:

• Emergency hospitalisation of the applicant/partner/child.
• Death of a close family member.
• Otherwise at the discretion of the Council.

No Response

If there is no response to an offer the following are acceptable grounds for treating that as a reasonable refusal:

• The offer letter was sent to the wrong address
• There were literacy problems such that the applicant did not recognise the urgency of responding to the offer.
• There were unforeseen and urgent circumstances which resulted in the applicant not being at their normal correspondence address and they could not reasonably have been expected to contact Tenancy Services.
• The offer letter was sent when the applicant was away on holiday.
• It can be demonstrated that the applicant did not receive the offer.

Consequence of "Unreasonable Refusal" on Final Offer

Decants

In accordance with the decant policy the applicant may be entitled to one further offer of accommodation. In the event of this being the final offer the Council reserves the right to resort to legal action to take possession of the property.

Relocation

Upon an unreasonable refusal the HOMES application is closed. The application is then referred back to the nominating authority, who can renominate after a year.

All Other Sub Categories

Applicants are deferred for 6 months. If after this a further offer results in an unreasonable refusal, the application is deferred for another 6 months.

If you have any queries please contact Tenancy Services Administration on 01476 406368 or 01476 406586, email housing@southkesteven.gov.uk or complete an enquiry form.