Agenda item

To agree the proposed homeowner improvement plan, including all subsidiary actions and recommendations.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the proposed homeowner improvement plan be agreed.

2.  That the introduction by the maintenance and compliance division of technical officers, in line with the extra resources agreed in a previous decision of 14 May 2013 be noted.  That it also be noted that the roles will involve pre and post inspection of communal repairs and the ‘real time’ monitoring of accounts.

3.  That the contract variation to the existing Southwark Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB)-run service for leaseholders to include an additional £22,000, over and above the existing budget of £26,504, enabling the provision of one full-time worker to extend the service to all areas of the borough be noted.

4.  That the proposal to deliver a “homeowner information centre”, in order to create greater support to the homeowners’ council and the Leaseholders Association of Southwark 2000 (LAS2000) in responding to homeowners’ needs be agreed.

5.  That it be noted that the service for the information centre would be effected by the creation of a service delivery contract between LAS2000 and Leathermarket JMB, in line with the business plan prepared by an external consultant, and would be funded from the existing homeowner involvement budget (the homeowners’ fund). That it also be noted that the one full-time and one part-time posts created under the proposal will replace the existing two involvement officer posts currently vacant, funded from the same source.

6.  That authority be delegated to the head of specialist housing services, as budget holder for the homeowners’ fund, to negotiate the information centre budget.

7.  That the delivery in July 2013 of a system to enable the online viewing of service charge accounts, including invoice breakdowns, by customers, and the expected delivery by April 2014 of online access to unitemised repairs details, subject to corporate decisions on the development of online services be noted.

8.  That the proposal to update the homeowners guide in line with current policy, primary and secondary legislation, and case law be noted. That it also be noted that it is proposed to appoint an external consultant to lead the process, with the appointment subject to a separate gateway report.

9.  That the formation of a working group to review the current debt recovery process to ensure that it is best able to balance the requirements of the council as landlord with those of homeowners who pay service charges be noted.

10.  That agreement be given to the implementation of a buy back scheme, prioritising homeowners in danger of losing their homes because of financial hardship but also taking into account the other considerations listed in paragraph 104 of the report. The scheme is to be open to all resident leaseholders (with the exception set out in paragraph 106 of the report), not just those who originally exercised their Right to Buy.

11.  That officers create appropriate procedures to implement the buy back scheme, including weighting the criteria set down in paragraph 104 of the report and with relevant input from the homeowners’ council.

12.  That the repurchase price in cases where the homeowner remains in occupation be set at 40% of the vacant possession value for the reasons explained in paragraph 107 of the report.

13.  That, in the exceptional cases where vacant possession is gained, the purchase price should not exceed open market value.

14.  That the scheme does not extend to repurchasing on a shared equity basis.

15.  That in accordance with points 48 and 116 of the report, a minimum capital budget of £500,000.00 be allocated from within HRA capital resources for buy-backs during the 2014/15 financial year and that this figure be reviewed for subsequent years once demand and resource levels can be more accurately assessed.

16.  That approval of purchases be delegated to the strategic director of housing and community services.

17.  That a policy be developed to offer all leaseholders the option to surrender their current lease for a new lease on a fixed service charge basis.  This offer would be a once-only offer to be kept open for a limited period. 

18.  That the benefits and drawbacks of making such an offer be noted.

19.  That a policy to allow the sale at a discount to some or all of the leaseholders of the freehold reversionary interest in blocks where all constituent flats have been sold on long leases be agreed. This policy will reflect the changes to the general consents made by the Secretary of State pursuant to Part II of the Housing Act 1985.