THE housing waiting list in Basildon has been slashed by more than half after tougher rules were brought in by council bosses.

Basildon Council has received a whopping 7,000 online applications for housing since October last year, but it has managed to trim its waiting list to just 1,825 people after bringing in new rules.

The new Localism Act means the council has imposed strict restrictions on who can receive housing with applicants now having to be 18 or over and have lived in the borough for seven years.

Of the 7,000 applications since October, 2,000 households did not meet the necessary criteria, 2,800 passed initial assessment, but did not submit further documents to support their application and just 467 have actually been housed during this period.

In a policy document, council rehousing manager Kathy Ayres said: “The demand for social housing in the borough far outstrips the supply Basildon Council has available and therefore we must prioritise those with the greatest need.

“This means that for most households, the chances of being offered a property by the council are extremely low and other housing options will need to be identified and considered.”

Basildon Council had 5,519 on its register when it introduced a new application system in October, although it claims 3,100 wasamore “realistic” figure once those without relevant documentation were discounted.

Basildon Council claims the new rules make it easier to manage unrealistic expectations if no prospect of being allocated accommodation.

Exceptions to the seven-year rule include people who have been declared as statutory homeless and those who can demonstrate they need to move to the borough to receive special care or support.

People who have previously served in the Armed Forces can also apply without meeting the residency rule.

Those with “unacceptable behaviour”, such as significant rent arrears or a track record of antisocial behaviour or fraud, can be disqualified from the list.

100 more homes planned

UP to 100 new council homes are being earmarked for Basildon.

The authority established Sempra Homes last year, pledging £10.6million to help ease the housing shortfall in the borough.

It has enlisted PMJA architects to draw up plans for a series of new housing schemes.

An application has already been submitted for four two-bed homes in Quendon Road, on the Fryerns estate.

Applications are due for garage sites in Rettendon Gardens and Victoria Road, while nine further sites have been earmarked for potential development.

THE CURRENT WAITING LIST

1,825 households are on the waiting list.

  • 941 waiting for one-bed homes
  • 769 for two-bed homes
  • 77 for three-bed homes
  • 27 for four-bed homes
  • 10 for five-bed homes
  • 1 for six-bed home

More cash if you downsize

BASILDON Council has enhanced its financial incentives for tenants to downsize their properties in a bid to ease the housing crisis.

Starting in June, the council has upped its payments to households who move under the underoccupancy scheme.

It has increased its payout from £1,000 to £1,500 for tenants who move from a two-bed to a one-bed property.

The authority has also introduced bonuses of £300 for moving to sheltered accommodation and £100 if moving to a council property which has been empty for three months or more. It is hoped the policy will make more two bedroom homes available for eligible families to move to.

Since the Welfare Reform Act was introduced in April 2013, council tenants across the country have been subject to financial penalties if they are deemed to have spare bedrooms.

The so-called “bedroom tax” limits the amount of housing benefit people can claim if they have spare rooms.

Last April, Basildon Council became one of the first authorities in the country to take a resident to court to apply for possession of her home after she fell into rent arrears.

The court action triggered the Basildon Against the Cuts group to organise a 100-strong petition urging the council not to evict tenants.

At a council meeting earlier this month, it was confirmed 397 tenants with spare rooms have been either moved or given financial assistance by the authority.

A council spokesman said: “To date, no tenants have been evicted solely because of rent arrears resulting from the charge.”