Notifying an ineligible or non-qualifying applicant:
5.0.1 The council will notify an applicant in writing of any decision that they
- Are ineligible for Home Options
- Do not qualify to join Home Options.
In each instance, the council will give clear grounds for the decision.
5.0.2 An applicant can ask for a review of certain decisions made regarding Home Options. These are:
- That they are not eligible or do not qualify
- Their band and effective date
- The type of property that they can bid/apply for
5.0.3 A request for a review of a decision must be made in writing within 21 days of receipt of the decision. The decision will be reviewed by a Housing Options team leader or manager or, in complex cases, an assessment panel. The role of the reviewer is to ensure that policy has been correctly applied. Reviews will be carried out within 56 days of the request being received and the applicant will be notified in writing of the decision. The council may extend these timescales if there are exceptional circumstances.
5.0.4 In requesting a review of their qualification for Home Options, the applicant will normally be expected to show that they have addressed issues which caused them not to qualify for the scheme over a minimum 12- month period, clearly demonstrating to the council’s satisfaction that their behaviour has been addressed and they are able to independently maintain a tenancy. The applicant’s individual circumstances will be fully considered as part of any review and each case will be treated on its merits.
5.0.5 Where an applicant does not qualify for Home Options through rent arrears, the council has set out in Appendix B the repayment arrangements and timeframes expected to be maintained in order for the applicant to demonstrate that the issue is being satisfactorily addressed.
5.0.6 An applicant does not have the right to ask for a further review. If an applicant is still unhappy following the review, they can make a complaint through the council’s complaints procedures.
5.1 Complaints procedure
5.1.1 If an applicant is dissatisfied with any aspect of the management of their Home Options application, other than where a review can be made, they should follow the council’s complaints procedure, details of which can be found at the website www.norwich.gov.uk.
5.2 The Local Government Ombudsman
5.2.1 If a complainant is not satisfied with the action the council takes, he or she can send a written complaint to the ombudsman. A complainant must give the organisation an opportunity to deal with a complaint first, using its complaints procedure.
The Local Government Ombudsman can be contacted at:
Local Government Ombudsman
The Oaks No 2
Westwood Way
Westwood Business Park
Coventry CV4 8JB
Tel: 01904 380200
Website: www.lgo.org.uk
