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66 Current & Former Tenant Arrears Write off Policy & Procedure PDF 76 KB
Minutes:
This item was chaired by Diana Minns (Vice Chair / Tenant
Representative).
Matter for
Decision
Approve the revised HRA Write-off Policy.
Decision of the
Executive Councillor for Housing:
i. Approved the revised HRA Write-off
Policy at Appendix A subject to the amendment of the matrimonial write-off paragraph and
typographical errors noted on p41 of the Policy.
Scrutiny
Considerations
The Committee received a report from the Business Manager / Principal
Accountant. The report detailed an update of the HRA Write-off policy. The Policy aimed to strengthen the Council’s
position in relation to the write-off of former tenant, and other HRA debts
where reasonable attempts had been made to recover the debt.
In response to questions from the Committee, the Business Manager /
Principal Accountant and the Director of Customer and Community Services stated
the following:
i.
Was happy to amend the paragraph in the policy
which related to matrimonial write-offs so that it took into account
circumstances which involved domestic violence.
ii.
The Council had not seen an increase in arrears
following the introduction of the recent Welfare Reforms, which included the
under-occupancy charge. However it was
anticipated that changes which included the direct payment of benefits to
claimants may have an effect further down the line.
iii.
In relation to the costs involved in pursuing debts
the Council had considered shared Legal Services, which should enable more
specialist advice to be provided in-house and therefore require less use of
external Legal service providers.
iv.
Once a year a report would be brought back to
Committee to show the volume and type of write offs.
The Committee:
Resolved
unanimously to approve the recommendation subject to the amendment of the
matrimonial write-off paragraph and typographical errors noted on p41 of the
Policy.
The Executive Councillor for Housing approved the recommendation subject
to the amendment of the matrimonial write-off paragraph and typographical
errors noted on p41 of the Policy.
Conflicts of
Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted).
No conflicts were declared by the Executive Councillor.