North Star Local Letting Policies

Local Letting Policy 1

PROPERTIES COVERED BY POLICY

  • Barnard Castle
  • Middleton in Teesdale
  • Stainton Grove & Village
  • Staindrop
  • Cotherstone
  • Romaldkirk
  • Eggleston
  • Mickleton
  • Bowes
  • Ingleton
  • Startforth
  • Gainford

CRITERIA

When an applicant or member of the applicants' household (who is to be re-housed with the applicant) has;

  • Lived in Teesdale continuously for at least the 2 years prior to the date of application
  • Been in continuous full or part time work in Teesdale for at least the last 2 years prior to the date of application. Part time work means a minimum of 16 hours per week.
  • Been assessed under the DKO Letting Policy as having a hardship/welfare need which would be alleviated by re-housing within the Teesdale area
  • Lived continuously in Teesdale for at least the last 2 years prior to being accepted as homeless but has been placed in temporary accommodation outside of Teesdale

Applicants will be shortlisted with preference given to local connection and thereafter date of application. Where there are no bids received from applicants who fulfil the local connection criteria within Band 1, applicants (with local connection) within the next eligible band will be considered and so on. Where no applicants with a local connection have bid for a property the shortlisting process will apply in line with the DKO Letting Policy.

EFFECTIVE DATE

  • This policy will be effective from April 2009 and will be in place as long as North Star are a partner of Durham Key Options.

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Local Letting Policy 2

PROPERTIES COVERED BY POLICY

  • Feather Stone Rise, Cotherstone

CRITERIA

Priority will be given to a person who:

  • has immediately prior to allocation been a resident of the Parish of Cotherstone in the former District of Teesdale for at least two years and whose accommodation is unsuitable for his or her circumstances lacking separate accommodation or living in a socially unacceptable standard of accommodation.

OR

  • Households including persons employed or with a firm offer of full time employment within the Parish
  • Elderly or disabled people who were born or who have a member of family living within the District.
  • Dependents or persons living within a related Parish or a parish within the former Teesdale District.

If a dwelling remains unlet for a period of three weeks from it becoming available then the let shall be offered to a person residing in the Parishes of Mickleton, Romaldkirk, Lartington, Hunderthwaite and Egglestone.

If the dwelling remains unlet for a further period of three weeks then it may be let to a person residing in any Parish within the former Teesdale District providing they meet the following criteria:-

  • The applicant or member of their family already reside in the former Teesdale District.
  • Households including persons employed or with a firm offer of full time employment within the Parish
  • Elderly or disabled people who were born or who have a member of family living within the District.
  • Dependents or persons living within a related Parish or a parish within the District of Teesdale.

If no person/s satisfying the requirements of the above sub-clauses is found in accordance with the provisions and subject to the timescales as set out above bid for the property, the relevant Affordable Housing Unit may be disposed to any person in need of affordable housing.

EFFECTIVE DATE

  • This policy will be effective from April 2009 and will be in place as long as North Star are a partner of Durham Key Options.

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Local Letting Policy 3

PROPERTIES COVERED BY POLICY

  • 2 bedroom bungalows: Watson Court, Barnard Castle

CRITERIA

  • Properties will only be let to those applicants who are over the age of 60 years- medically assessed applicants will not be accepted for these properties, even if they require the adaptation.

EFFECTIVE DATE

  • This policy is effective from scheme start (2009) and will be in place as long as North Star are a partner of Durham Key Options.

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Local Letting Policy 4

PROPERTIES COVERED BY POLICY

  •  Castle Vale, Barnard Castle (all bungalows and houses)

CRITERIA

  1. Applicants with a local connection (as per below) to the parishes of Marwood and Barnard Castle, or their adjoining parishes, will first be prioritised above those without, regardless of banding priority
  2. After these applicants are prioritised, applicants with a local connection to the former district of Teesdale will then be prioritised above those with no such connection
  3. All other applicants will then be considered from County Durham.

The following criteria is in place- in line with the section 106 agreement: -

When an applicant or member of the applicant’s household (who is to be rehoused with the applicant) is:

  • Currently resident in the area for a minimum of 3 years

And/ or

  • Has had a period of 3 years permanent residence within the last 5 years

And/or

  • Has an essential need to live close to another person who has permanent residence in the area. This essential need applies to applicants who currently reside outside of the area who support or require support from someone who is resident in that area.

And/or

  • Currently employed within the area. This is defined in line with DKO policy as in continuous full or part time work in the area for at least 12 months prior to the date of application. Part time work means a minimum of 2 full days per week.

EFFECTIVE DATE

  • October 2015 (bungalows) and July 2016 (houses)

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Local Letting Policy 5

PROPERTIES COVERED BY POLICY

  • 2 bedroom bungalows: Hollinside, Castle Vale, Barnard Castle

CRITERIA

  • Properties will only be let to those applicants who are over the age of 60 years- medically assessed applicants will not be accepted for these properties, even if they require the adaptation.

EFFECTIVE DATE

  • This policy is effective from 01 October 2015 and will be in place as long as North Star are a partner of Durham Key Options.

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Local Letting Policy 6

PROPERTIES COVERED BY POLICY

  • Kinghorne Road, Green Lane, Barnard Castle

CRITERIA

  1. Applicants with a local connection (as per below) to the parish of Barnard Castle, or an adjoining parishes, will first be prioritised above those without, regardless of banding priority
  2. After these applicants are prioritised, applicants with a local connection to the former district of Teesdale will then be prioritised above those with no such connection
  3. All other applicants will then be considered from County Durham.

The following criteria is in place- in line with the section 106 agreement: -

When an applicant or member of the applicant’s household (who is to be rehoused with the applicant) is:

  • Currently resident in the area for a minimum of 3 years

And/ or

  • Has had a period of 3 years permanent residence within the last 5 years

And/or

  • Has an essential need to live close to another person who has permanent residence in the area. This essential need applies to applicants who currently reside outside of the area who support or require support from someone who is resident in that area.

And/or

  • Currently employed within the area. This is defined in line with DKO policy as in continuous full or part time work in the area for at least 12 months prior to the date of application. Part time work means a minimum of 2 full days per week.

EFFECTIVE DATE

  • March 2018

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Local Letting Policy 7

PROPERTIES COVERED BY POLICY

  • Four x 3 bed new build properties at The Green and The Orlands, Newton Aycliffe

CRITERIA

  • Priority for allocations will be given to applicants with a local connection to the area (see definition further below);

BUT

  • 60% of the homes (i.e. at least two the four available) will be allocated to applicants engaged in positive activity. This includes Key Workers (Key Worker being defined as employed as part of the Emergency Services, Hospitals, Armed Forces, Schools/Colleges or local industry/manufacturing), those in employment*, education, training, volunteering or community work in order to improve the sustainability of the area. 

Local connection

  1. Applicants with a local connection (as per below requirements) to Newton Aycliffe will first be prioritised above those without, regardless of banding priority
  2. After these applicants are prioritised, applicants with a local connection to the former district of Sedgefield will then be prioritised above those with no such connection
  3. All other applicants will then be considered from County Durham.

The following criteria is in place:

When an applicant or member of the applicant’s household (who is to be rehoused with the applicant) is:

  • Currently resident in the area for a minimum of 3 years

And/ or

  • Has had a period of 3 years permanent residence within the last 5 years

And/or

  • Has an essential need to live close to another person who has permanent residence in the area. This essential need applies to applicants who currently reside outside of the area who support or require support from someone who is resident in that area.

And/or

  • Currently employed* within the area.

*This is defined in line with DKO policy as in continuous full or part time work in the area for at least 12 months prior to the date of application. Part time work means a minimum of 2 full days per week.

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA

North Star will also:

  • Carry out a police check on all applicants prior to on offer being made
  • Not consider, any applicant with any records of ASB in the last 5 years
  • Request one additional character reference as well as landlord reference

EFFECTIVE DATE

  • April 2018

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Local Letting Policy 8

PROPERTIES COVERED BY POLICY

  • Four x 2 bed new build properties at St Edmunds Manor, Sedgefield

  • Two x 2 bed new build bungalows at St Edmunds Manor, Sedgefield

CRITERIA

  • Priority for allocations of houses and bungalows will be given to applicants with a local connection to the area (see definition further below);

BUT (for the 2 bed houses only)

  • 60% of the homes (i.e. at least two the four available) will be allocated to applicants engaged in positive activity. This includes Key Workers (Key Worker being defined as employed as part of the Emergency Services, Hospitals, Armed Forces, Schools/Colleges or local industry/manufacturing), those in employment*, education, training, volunteering or community work in order to improve the sustainability of the area. 

Local connection

All properties will be advertised for two weeks and it is at the end of this two weeks that final shortlists will be priortised by local connection:

  1. Applicants with a local connection (as per below requirements) to the electoral ward (or adjoining ward) of Sedgefield will first be prioritised above those without, regardless of banding priority
  2. After these applicants are prioritised, applicants with a local connection to the former district of Sedgefield will then be prioritised above those with no such connection
  3. All other applicants will then be considered from County Durham.

The following criteria is in place:

When an applicant or member of the applicant’s household (who is to be rehoused with the applicant) is:

  • Currently resident in the area for a minimum of 3 years

And/ or

  • Has had a period of 3 years permanent residence within the last 5 years

And/or

  • Has an essential need to live close to another person who has permanent residence in the area. This essential need applies to applicants who currently reside outside of the area who support or require support from someone who is resident in that area.

And/or

  • Currently employed* within the area.

*This is defined in line with DKO policy as in continuous full or part time work in the area for at least 12 months prior to the date of application. Part time work means a minimum of 2 full days per week.

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA

North Star will also:

  • Carry out a police check on all applicants prior to on offer being made
  • Not consider, any applicant with any records of ASB in the last 5 years
  • Not consider any applicant who does not pass a full affordability check for the property (this is required due to the higher than usual rent for these properties)

EFFECTIVE DATE

  • October 2018

Local Lettings Policy 9

PROPERTIES COVERED

6 x 2 bedroom houses in Burden Place, Priory View

CRITERIA

Priority will be given to applicants in the following order who have a local connection to the areas below.

  • An allocation will first be made to any applicant who has a local connection to Framwellgate and Newton Hall Electoral division, or an adjoining parish. For the purposes of this policy, an adjoining parish is considered as:
    - Belmont CP
    - City of Durham CP
    - Bearpark CP
    - Witton Gilbert CP
    - Kimblesworth and Plawsworth CP
    - Great Lumley CP
    - West Rainton CP
  • An allocation will be made in the second instance to an applicant who has a local connection to the administrative area of the Former City of Durham Council.
  • An allocation will be made in the third instance to an applicant who has a local connection to County Durham

Local Connection is defined as:

  • a period of 3 years permanent residence within the last 5 years.
  • an essential need to live closer to another person who has a permanent residence (3 out of 5 years).
  • a person who is employed in the area*

*This is defined in line with DKO policy as in continuous full or part-time work in the area for at least 12 months prior to the date of application. Part time work means a minimum of 2 full days per week.

EFFECTIVE DATE

November 2021

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