This page outlines Ipswich Borough Council's housing related policies:
A decant is where a tenant moves from their current home to another one, either temporarily or permanently.
This policy aims to ensure that decants operate in a fair, equitable and reasonable manner, in accordance with the current allocations policy, minimise disturbance to tenants and make best use of Council Housing.
Ipswich Borough Council is committed to ensuring that disabled people are not disadvantaged in accessing its services. To this end we will make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. This policy is intended as a general statement and:
• Confirms our commitment to improving accessibility for everybody that we deal with;
• Sets out some of the basic principles of our commitment to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled people;
• Sets out the factors that we will consider in dealing with requests for reasonable adjustments.
The Council is committed to providing high quality services to its tenants and leaseholders but recognises that there are occasions when services may not meet these standards and customers are inconvenienced as a result. Where something has gone wrong the Council will acknowledge this and set out the actions it has already taken, or intends to take, to put things right. There are a number of remedies available to put a situation right but in some instances, financial compensation may be the only and appropriate form of redress. This policy provides guidance as to when the Council will consider offering compensation to its tenants and leaseholders.
Ipswich Borough Council recognises that the keeping of pets and animals can improve a person’s wellbeing and life enjoyment. This policy statement outlines its approach to the keeping of pets and animals by Council tenants.
This policy sets out our approach to the setting of rent and service charges. Its aim is to ensure that we comply with all relevant legislation, Regulator of Social Housing regulatory requirements and recognised best practice. The Policy will ensure compliance specifically to the Regulatory Rent Standard and Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) also ensuring that the Council has a transparent approach to rent and service charge setting.
This policy sets out the circumstances in which a person may succeed to an Ipswich Borough Council tenancy, but it does not apply to leases or licences. Succession is the process whereby a tenancy passes to another person on the death of the original tenancy holder or joint tenant. Only certain individuals can succeed to a tenancy upon the tenant’s death, and this will depend on various things such as the type of tenancy held by the deceased, and the relationship with the deceased tenant.
Local authority Tenants have a statutory Right to Manage under the Right to Manage guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). As a registered provider of Social Housing, Ipswich Borough Council adheres to the statutory requirements. This Policy sets out the Council’s position regarding the regulations and provides a clear statement on the approach proposed to be taken where instances may arise.
This policy clarifies Ipswich Borough Council’s approach to different Tenancy types, when they will be used and how they will be managed. The Policy explains the various types of tenancies offered by the Council, our obligations to tenants and how these are shaped by relevant legislation. This policy is not applicable to Temporary Housing, Shared - Ownership and Leasehold tenures.
This policy outlines the principles, goals, and guidelines that the Council will follow in meeting its obligations to leaseholders in the management of the Leasehold Service. This policy is not a substitute for legal advice about the specific terms and covenants within each lease. The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for decision-making and to establish a consistent approach to specific issues. It helps stakeholders understand the expectations and standards that should be upheld.
This policy applies to all Council tenants, leaseholders, temporary licensees and occupants. The Council will take a zero-tolerance approach to domestic abuse. We will do this by adopting a believing, trust-based approach, ensuring that the individual is aware we take the issue seriously whilst being sensitive and understanding to the individual’s needs. We will take reasonable and proportionate action against proven perpetrators which will include tenancy enforcement in addition to ensuring we adopt a support-based approach as a means of intervention to changing someone’s behaviour, where they want to.
This Policy seeks to ensure that a formalised framework is in place to manage fire risk across the housing portfolio and that this can be planned, delivered, monitored and reviewed in such a way that continuous improvement is achieved, and that the Council has strategic direction to manage fire risk appropriately.
This policy sets out the approach Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) takes to ensure that damp, mould, and condensation within IBC properties are treated seriously and dealt with swiftly and effectively. IBC want all tenants to enjoy living in homes that are safe and well maintained. This is why IBC developed the Ipswich Standard, an enhancement on the Government’s Decent Homes Standard. IBC recognises that the presence of damp and mould in homes has potential physical and mental health implications to our tenants. This policy sets out the scope and context, explains what damp and mould is and the common causes. It explains how IBC will deal with a report of damp and mould by a tenant and/or leaseholder and explains how IBC is working on other identification measures and how this policy will be monitored going forward.
This Policy seeks to ensure that a formalised framework is in place to manage fire risk across the housing portfolio and that this can be planned, delivered, monitored and reviewed in such a way that continuous improvement is achieved, and that the Council has strategic direction to manage fire risk appropriately.
Ipswich Borough Council,
Housing Services,
3E Grafton House,
15-17 Russell Road,
Ipswich,
IP1 2DE
01473 432000
