Transfers

The Who We House page explains the various groups to whom we offer our housing. This page sets out the Association's policy for tenants who wish to transfer homes.

Our Policy
SBHA operates a choice based lettings system (Locata) that is open to all tenants of the Association. No tenancy time limit is imposed before tenants can join the list. To apply for a transfer, please complete a Shepherds Bush Housing Association Housing Application Transfer Form available from our registered office on 0208 222 7300.

The maximum number of bedrooms for which tenants are eligible to bid for is determined by the size of their household but, as there is a shortage of larger homes, tenants may be advised to bid for smaller accommodation than they would prefer.

Whilst we allow tenants with rent arrears to bid through the choice based lettings system no offer will be made whilst the tenant remains in rent arrears.

We keep tenants updated through our newsletter, 'SBHA News and Views', and we also run an allocations surgery on a weekly basis at Craft Court to deal with enquiries. Tenants can check on the type and location of the properties available through the Locata Home magazine, this is published fortnightly on Thursdays and is available from SBHA offices , public libraries and Civic Centres. Locata Home is also available on the Locata website: www.locata.org

Maximum bedroom eligibility is determined using the following guidelines:

• Lone person - Studio flat or one-bedroom
• Couple without children - One bedroom
• Pregnant woman (with or without partner) - One/Two bedrooms
• Parent/s with child under one - Two bedrooms
• Parent/s with two children, same sex where at least one Child is 10 and there is an age gap of five or more years - Three bedrooms
• Parent/s with two children of opposite sex (one over 7) - Three bedrooms
• Parent/s with three or four children - Three/Four bedrooms
• Parents with five or more children - four bedrooms.

An additional bedroom will be allocated where the appointed Medical Adviser recommends this is essential.

Statutory Overcrowding
The Housing Act 1985 provides standards to establish if a dwelling is overcrowded. The standards consider:

• if people of the opposite sex, over the age of 10, not living together as husband and wife, must share a room
• the number of people per room, and
• the size of the rooms.

The permitted number of persons per dwelling is based on the following Reference Tables; the household must comply with both criteria.

Number of rooms (living & bedrooms) Number of persons (aged 10 +)
1 2
2 3
3 5
4 7.5 (7 + 1 child under 10)
5 2 for each room
Floor area of room Number of persons
110 sq ft / 10.23 sq m + 2
> 90 sq ft / 8.37 sq m 1.5
> 70 sq ft / 6.51 sq m 1
> 50 sq ft / 4.65 sq m 0.5

The key points to note are that:

• all living rooms and bedrooms are considered available for sleeping accommodation (in some cases a kitchen may also be considered)
• babies are not counted until they are 1 year of age
• children under the age of 10 are counted as half (.5)
• rooms under 50 sq ft / 4.65 sq m are not counted.

For example: 2 parents, 8 yr old son, 3 yr old daughter and baby in a one bed roomed flat would not be classed as statutorily overcrowded, as there are 2 rooms and 3 people are permitted (children 0.5 and baby 0).

The occupier and/or landlord can be found guilty of an offence for causing or permitting overcrowding depending on the circumstances.

Statutorily overcrowded households can approach a Local Authority as homeless under Housing Act 1996 Part VII s175 (3), as it is unreasonable to continue to occupy their property.

The Housing Application Form
Any tenant of SBHA can apply for a transfer by completing the Housing Application Form and providing copies of any medical and any other relevant information which will be taken for reference in order for the Allocations Team to assess the appropriate banding for each applicant.

Banding the Transfer Application Form
The Allocations Team will award the appropriate band to each transfer application within 10 working days of receipt of the form, using the common banding form used by all Locata members.
The bands are in a priority order from A - D and a summary is outlined below:

Band A

• Life threatening medical condition, which is seriously affected by current housing
• Where tenants life is threatened if s/he remains in home due to violence
• The home is about to be demolished or re-developed
• Tenant is in an adapted property but no longer needs it and which could be used by someone else
• Tenant willing to move to a 1 bed from 2 bed or more or giving up a 2 bed.

Band B

• Urgent need to move for medical or social reasons (medical info to be assessed by Dr Keen)
• Cannot negotiate stairs: either up to a property or inside property
• A need to move to an adapted property
• Need to move due to harassment or threat of violence
• Homeless and staying in B & B or hostel/ move on scheme for 1 bed property
• Tenant occupying larger property, but willing to give up surplus bedroom, but still needs 2 or more bedrooms
• Property to be demolished/redeveloped or statutorily overcrowded or for other management reasons.

Band C

• Medical reasons or unsatisfactory housing conditions
• Stairs are manageable but detrimental to health
• Overcrowding where children of different sex are sharing and the eldest is over 7 years.
• Or where 2 children of the same sex are sharing and 1 child is 10 yrs and over and there is an age gap of 5 years or more
• 2 adults (over 18 yrs) not living as a couple are sharing, however siblings of same sex living as part of household are expected to share even if both over 18 years.
• Elderly approved for Sheltered.

Band D

• All other tenants with no recognised need to move or who do not fall into the above priority bands A, B or C.

When a decision has been reached about banding your application, a letter will be sent to you from Shepherds Bush Housing Association and LOCATA detailing the band you have been awarded, your priority date, your LOCATA identification number (LIN) and information on what properties you will be eligible to bid for.

Management Transfer System
SBHA recognises that there are a number of tenants who suffer harassment (racial or otherwise) and/or domestic violence or have a severe medical condition that seriously affects their quality of life and places them under threat.

SBHA recognises that these cases are serious and therefore has a management transfer system to prioritise the transfers and ensure a more speedy move.

• Who Can Apply For a Management Transfer?
  Existing tenants of the Association who need to move when remaining at their present accommodation would seriously affect their quality of life.
• How Does a Tenant Apply?
  By completing the Housing Application Form with an Allocations Officer or the Neighbourhood Officer for the area

Any tenant applying for a transfer on the above grounds will have their case fully investigated and then put to a Management Transfer Panel, consisting of Senior Officers, who will decide, according to policy whether to award the management transfer status. Any case awarded management transfer status will be banded in accordance with the banding system.

All management transfer cases are reviewed every six months by the Allocations team to ensure that the circumstances under which management transfer status was awarded are ongoing. Their bidding performance will be monitored by the Allocations Team and passed to the Manager for review. If within this time the circumstances either escalate or are resolved, the tenant should contact either their Neighbourhood Officer or the Allocations Team to inform them. If the situation has been resolved, the management transfer status will be removed.

The Association does not normally transfer tenants with rent arrears. However, tenants with management transfer status will be assessed according to the urgency of their case and exceptions may be made.

Right of Appeal - Management Transfers
If the tenant disagrees with the management transfer panel's decision, they have the right to appeal to the Chief Executive stating the reasons why they disagree with the decision and if possible providing extra information on their case. The Chief Executive will decide whether to uphold the decision of the Panel or refer the case back to the Panel for further consideration. Tenants also have access to the Association's formal complaints procedure.

Right to Appeal - Medical Transfer System
If the tenant disagrees with the assessment they will have the right to appeal against the decision by writing to the Housing Services Director. They will be required to provide further medical evidence and their case will be resubmitted to the medical advisor for reconsideration. The subsequent decision of the medical adviser will be communicated to the tenant in writing within 5 working days.

Offers of Accommodation
All applicants are offered the chance to view the property that they have been shortlisted for accompanied by a member of the Association's staff who will be able to answer questions about the offer and the property itself.

Tenants who wish to accept an offer will usually be given about a week to arrange the move. Tenants who subsequently decide not to take up the offer will be asked to give detailed reasons for refusal, so that the Association can keep a record for statistical purposes.

If you would like more information on this subject or would like to see a copy of the full Allocations policy, see the separate leaflet on Who We House (leaflet 15) and Mutual Exchanges (leaflet 17) in this handbook, or contact the Customer Services team at our registered office on 0208 222 7300.