I would like to request the release of the criteria Cambridge City
Council require bed and breakfast accommodation to meet before it
can be used for the emergency accommodation of homeless people.

I would like to suggest that this information be made available on
Cambridge City Council's website.

--

Richard Taylor

Cambridge

http://www.rtaylor.co.uk

I acknowledge receipt of your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, on what criteria the Council requires before Bed & Breakfasts are used for housing homeless people and the request that it is published on our website.

I am forwarding your e-mail onto Simon Hunt, Housing Options and Advice Team Leader who has responsibility for that area of work.

In accordance with the Act we will send you the information within 20 working days ie by 16 February at the latest.

Kind regards

Kathy Brown
PA to the Director of Community Services
Cambridge City Council
Hobson House, 44 St Andrews Street
Cambridge CB2 3AS
Telephone: 01223 457852

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Dear Mr Taylor

I write in response to your Freedom of Information Act request regarding standards of bed and breakfast accommodation used by local authorities.

Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 sets out local authority duties for tackling homelessness. This legislation was amended by the Homelessness Act 2002 and the Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) Order 2002.

Section 210 (1) of the 1996 Act specifies that the local authority should have regard to the following when assessing the suitability of temporary accommodation:

-parts 9 and 10 of the Housing Act 1985 (covering slum clearance and overcrowding)
-Parts 1 to 4 of the Housing Act 2004 (covering housing conditions and fitness and the licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation)

Part 1 of the 2004 Act includes fitness standards. These are assessed using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. A hazard rating is expressed through a numerical score which falls within a band ranging from A to J. Scores in Band A to C are Category 1 hazards. Scores in Bands D to J are Category 2 hazards.

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (CLG) recommends that when determining the suitability of accommodation provided under the terms of the homelessness legislation, local authorities should ensure that accommodation is free from Category 1 hazards.

In addition to the homelessness legislation itself, local authorities rely on a document called the Code of Guidance. This is issued by the Secretary of State for CLG and it provides guidance on how local authorities should exercise their homelessness functions and apply statutory criteria. The Code provides some guidance on factors that should be taken into account when determining the suitability of temporary accommodation, including bed and breakfast.

As a matter of good practice we do as a local authority recognise bed and breakfast provided to homeless applicants as constituting the household's main residence. In this way the bed and breakfast will fall within the definition of a House in Multiple Occupation and must therefore comply with the relevant standards in relation to condition, management and the sharing of amenities and facilities. Bed and breakfast accommodation that we use is inspected by the Housing Standards team of the relevant local authority. In this way we ensure that the accommodation complies with all of the legal standards.

Please note that bed and breakfast is provided as a last resort and in the absence of alternative accommodation. Bed and breakfast situated out of Cambridge is provided in the absence of bed and breakfast locally. Clearly in providing temporary accommodation out of our district we should have regard to the particular commitments of the household in question. The Code of Guidance is clear on this point.

A local authority is not in breach of any legislation by providing accommodation out of its district but we acknowledge that there are issues of good practice to consider also. We have identified bed and breakfast accommodation out of district in situations where we have been unable to come to arrangements for placements with bed and breakfast proprietors locally. Tackling the inadequate supply of suitable bed and breakfast accommodation within Cambridge is something that we are in the process of trying to address.

We have made a decision not to use our website to advertise the availability of temporary accommodation. Temporary accommodation is provided to households owed a rehousing duty under the homelessness legislation. The main focus of our work is on the prevention of homelessness and a reduction in homelessness acceptances and the use of temporary accommodation resulting from this. The Government has set targets for significant reductions in the use of temporary accommodation and monitor the progress of local authorities in this area on a quarterly basis.

Please contact me if you have any further queries.

Yours sincerely

Simon Hunt
Housing Options and Advice Team Leader

Please consider the environment - do you really need to print this
e-mail?

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