Issue - meetings

That the £1.854m year-end position for rent arrears in 2020/21, as set out within the report, be noted.

The Chief Officer (Housing & Assets) introduced the operational update on 2020/21 year end rent income collection for housing, including the 2021/22 latest collection position. 

The Revenues Manager advised that the outturn for 2020/21 resulted in rent arrears of £1.854m compared to £1.815m in the previous year – an increase in arrears of £39k.  He said that the data generally made for positive reading when contrasted against earlier predictions for rent arrears for the service throughout the last twelve months, particularly at a time when the pandemic had impacted on the ability of some tenants to pay on time.  

The Revenues Manager provided a detailed presentation which covered the following areas:-

• Rent Collection: 2020/21 final outturn;
• Rent Collections and Trends over 6 years;
• Arrears Cases (£250+) at March 2021; and
• Rent Collection: 21/22 Latest Position (to week 10)

In response to a question from the Chairman around the deployment of the software, the Revenues Manager added that the software had been successful in targeting those tenants who required support.  Unfortunately, tenants who arrears in excess of £5,000 had tended to not engage with the Council, which had resulted in their rent arrears continuing to increase. 

            Members of the Committee thanked the Revenues Manager for the report.  In response to questions around support for residents, their need to access a number of support services and where residents placed on the Housing Register if they were in arrears, the Chief Officer explained that tenants would be placed in Band 4 on the Housing Register until the arrears had been cleared.  He also commented on the end of the Furlough scheme as outlined when considering the Welfare Reform update earlier on in the meeting and said that there was concern on the impact this would have on tenants and the support team.  He re-confirmed that it was not Flintshire’s intention to evict tenants as it was not in the Council interest, but highlighted that there were extreme cases where tenants would not engage and in those cases after much deliberation it was only right that action should and would be taken.

                         The recommendation outlined within the report was moved by Councillor David Wisinger and seconded by Councillor Dennis Hutchinson.

RESOLVED:

That the £1.854m year-end position for rent arrears in 2020/21, as set out within the report, be noted.