Council plans not to evict tenants in arrears due to bedroom tax
- 11 Nov
Unless two offers of alternative accommodation are declined, councils will not evict tenants who are in arrears as a result of bedroom tax under new proposals.
Thanet District Council will vote at a cabinet meeting on 14 November on plans to support tenants hit by the government's welfare reform.
In the proposals it states that no legal action will be taken against tenants who are in arrears due to the bedroom tax, unless two offers of a smaller property have been made.
The council also plans to make 25% of its stock available on direct lets for tenants who wish to downsize, reports Inside Housing.
David Green, cabinet member for housing, said: "We are committed to doing everything that we reasonably can to help support tenants directly affected by this policy. The notices of motion supported by council, outline the remit that cabinet were given to review the policies in place around rent arrears to ensure we're protecting the poorest and most vulnerable people in Thanet."
Policy and practice officer at the CIH has said that the policy may run into difficulty when differentiating between the arrears caused by bedroom tax and other types of arrears. "Creating an accounting system for rent arrears due to the bedroom tax in a different way to other types of arrears, can become complicated overtime and be seen as unfair by other tenants," he said.
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