Rent 6

In section we will show you how we keep rent at an affordable amount for our tenants and work with tenants to help them maintain their tenancy.

Tamworth Borough Council operates a 48 week rent year to give tenants four weeks rent free. This is to support residents with year round budgeting, allowing for seasonal fluctuations in household budgets and where needed creates opportunity to support tenants with debt management.

Rent free weeks April 2022 – March 2023: l 22 August 2022 l 19 December 2022 l 20 March 2023 l 27 March 2023

Average rent (excluding service charges)

Evictions

THE NUMBER OF EVICTIONS CARRIED OUT FOR 2021/2022 WAS 2 EVICTION IS ALWAYS THE LAST RESORT

Rent Collected

RENT COLLECTED AS A % OF ANNUAL DEBIT WAS 101.57% FOR 2010/2021 AND 101.44% FOR 2021/2022

Notices

OF SEEKING POSSESSION ISSUED FOR RENT ARREARS IN 2021/2022

WAS 397 COMPARED TO 712 IN 2020/2021

Housing Quality

NETWORK REVIEW OF TAMWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL’S RENT AGAINST GOVERNMENT RENT POLICY. WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE ACCREDITATION ACTION PLAN

Quarterly Rent Incentive Draw

CONTINUES WITH A PRIZE OF £250 TO ENCOURAGE TENANTS TO KEEP A CLEAR RENT ACCOUNT

Early Intervention

EMPHASIS CONTINUES TO BE PLACED ON EARLY INTERVENTION. EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BEHIND WITH THEIR RENT IS LOW, WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE

Hardship Fund

The Hardship Fund, within the Income budget, had not been fully utilised for a period prior to the pandemic outbreak. During 2020-2021, the team was successfully granted authorisation to access this fund and try to assist some of Tamworth Borough Council tenants that had been directly affected by COVID-19 and was suffering financial hardship as a consequence. The purpose of the scheme is: l To assist tenants affected financially by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown l To help alleviate poverty and stress l To reduce the temptation for tenants to use illegal money lenders l To sustain tenancies

As at 31 March 2022

Annual Hardship Fund Budget: £20,000

Monies spent following a review of the Hardship Fund Policy since 2020: £8154 Hardship Fund Budget available as at 31.03.2022: £11,846

Hardship Fund Payment Requests

Reduced hours, job loss, Furlough, 0 contract hours

White good appliances purchased

Other essential costs i.e. basic flooring due to an unplanned move etc.

Hardship Fund applications that have been refused have not fit the Hardship Fund criteria, have failed to provide the appropriate documentary evidence or following assessment have been considered to have surplus available monies.