Pendle Borough Council
Market Street, Nelson, Lancashire BB9 7LG
Tel: 01282 661661 Fax: 01282 661130
Housing Allocations - Allocation Points
The Council uses a point system as a guide when allocating housing and the points system reflects the sort of situations mentioned in the legislation.
For information email: housing.management@pendle.gov.uk
The Council's first responsibility is to those who live in unsatisfactory housing within the area, and this means that people living in better conditions may have to wait a long time. Please remember that having your name on the housing register is not a guarantee that you will eventually be offered a house.
Once your application has been accepted on to our housing register, it is awarded a certain number of points to reflect the conditions in which you live.
Points are given for such factors as medical conditions, overcrowding and lack of modern facilities. The total points score of each applicant is then used as a guide in allocating properties.
Deferred Status
Any application made by an applicant falling into one of the following criteria will be awarded Deferred Category status.
- As an introductory tenant (unless circumstances change)
- The applicant has refused 5 reasonable offers within the past 12 months
- The applicant has been housed from the register or completed a mutual exchange (under Housing Act 1985 section 92) within the last 12 months
- The applicant has bought a Council property within the last 5 years and has not been classed as 'unintentionally homeless and in priority need' or has not be classed as suffering 'exceptional hardship circumstance' by the Housing Manager
- The applicant has a Council tenancy related debt (for example, for rent arrears, damage to the property or legal costs arising from court action in connection with the tenancy)
- The council is reasonably satisfied that the applicant (or members of their prospective household) has committed acts causing or likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance to their neighbours or others in the locality of where they live or where they have previously lived
- The council is reasonably satisfied that the applicant (or members of their prospective household) has failed to maintain any previous rented or owner occupied property in a proper and reasonable condition
- The applicant is under 18 years old unless we have a duty to accommodate under the Homelessness Act 2002
- The applicant has made a Right-to-Buy application that is current
- The applicant has criminal convictions and the Council believe that the conviction(s) would deem the applicant unsuitable, Drugs, Theft, violence etc.
- Applicants who leave accommodation of their own accord and move to another address where their circumstances are worse may not be given new points award for 12 months from the date they notify the Housing Service of their address
- The applicant has refused 5 reasonable offers within the last 12 months
Removing Deferred Status
The Applicant has Refused 5 Reasonable Offers Within the Last 12 Months
Deferred Status will be removed 12 months after last offer unless their circumstances have changed or a property is in a 'no demand' situation, therefore, at the Housing Management Officers discretion, an offer could be made.
The Applicant Has Been Housed From the Register or Completed a Mutual Exchange (under Housing Act 1985 section 92) Within the Last 12 Months
Deferred Status will be removed a year after re-housing has taken place.
The Applicant Has Tenancy Debts (for example, for rent arrears, damage to property or legal costs arising from court action in connection with the tenancy)
Deferred Status will be removed on payment of the whole debt or when the applicant has demonstrated, to the reasonable satisfaction of the council that they have taken debt advice, acted on it and are in the habit of paying regularly.
The required payment habit will normally be demonstrated by a period of paying current rent plus an affordable instalment off the debt.
If the debt relates to more than one tenancy the period will be 12 months.
If the debt only relates to one tenancy the period will be 3 months if it is less than £500 and 6 months otherwise.
Deferred Status will be reapplied on default after their removal.
If there is still a debt at the time that an allocation is made to the applicant, it will be a condition of the new tenancy that the debt continues to be paid by the appropriate installments in addition to the current rent, until the debt is paid off.
The Council is Reasonably Satisfied That The Applicant (or members of their prospective household) Has Committed Acts Causing or Likely to Cause a Nuisance or Annoyance to their Neighbours or Others in the Locality of Where They Live or Where They Have Previously Lived
Deferred Status will be removed when the applicant (or members of their prospective household) has demonstrated, to the reasonable satisfaction of the council, the necessary ability to modify their conduct. In some cases this will include co-operating with medical or other support agencies. In most cases the Deferred Status will be removed when there has been no cause for complaint against the applicant (or members of their prospective household) for one year.
The Council is Reasonably Satisfied That The Applicant (or members of their prospective household) Has Failed to Maintain Any Previous Rented Property in a Proper and Reasonable Condition
Deferred Status will be removed when the applicant (or members of their prospective household) has demonstrated, to the reasonable satisfaction of the council, the necessary ability to modify their conduct. In some cases this will include co-operating with medical or other support agencies. In most cases the Deferred Status will be removed when there has been no cause for complaint against the applicant (or members of their prospective household) for one year.
The Applicant is Under 18 Years Old Unless We Have A Duty to Accommodate Under the Homelessness Act 2002
Deferred Status will be removed when the applicant is 18 years old.
The Applicant Has a Made a Right-to-Buy Application That Is Current
Deferred Status will be removed when an uncompleted Right-to-Buy application is withdrawn.
