Data on statutory overcrowding

The request was partially successful.

To whom it may regard,

I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 - related to council houses that are in breach of statutory overcrowding rules.

This request refers to statutory overcrowding by both the ‘space standard’ (determining how many people may occupy a dwelling with regard to the number of sleeping accommodation rooms in the dwelling and floor area of the rooms) and the ‘room standard’ (determining how many non-cohabiting people aged 10 and over of the opposite sex may share sleeping accommodation) as defined by the Housing Act 1985.

For the calendar years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 (separately), please tell me:

1) How many statutory overcrowding breaches did the council record for households housed by the council in each year? Please provide a breakdown of breaches by a) space standard and b) room standard, and specify whether households may be captured as both a room and a space standard breach.
2) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than two people have lived in a home with one room
3) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than three people have lived in a home with two rooms
4) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than five people have lived in a home with three rooms
5) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than 7.5 people have lived in a home with four rooms
6) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than 10 people have lived in a home with five rooms
7) For breaches of the room standard, the maximum number of people sleeping in one room as recorded by the council
8) How many households who have applied for council housing are living in temporary accommodation
9) Please list all the types of temporary accommodation the council has placed households in (including but not limited to: shipping containers, caravans, B&Bs, converted office buildings, and any other kind of accomodation).

Please provide the requested data in a spreadsheet format.

If this request is too wide or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters.

I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.

For clarity - I am using a Whatdotheyknow account created by my colleagues Claire Wilde and Harriet Clugston - but my name is Carly Roberts.

Thanks,
Carly Roberts.

NK - FOI, North Kesteven District Council

5 Attachments

Ref No: 21/133

08 July 2021

Dear Ms Wilde,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request regarding: Data on
statutory overcrowding.

We can confirm your request was received on 08 July 2021. This will be
dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and
answered within twenty working days.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be
required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

If you have any queries about this request please contact the Corporate
Information Team, quoting the above reference number.

Yours faithfully

Graeme Napier

Freedom of Information
[1]NKDC [2]Facebook [3]YouTube Tel: 01529 414155
Twitter Email: foi@n‑kesteven.gov.uk
[HNG53VF58]​ [4]www.n-kesteven.gov.uk
Kesteven Street ,  Sleaford ,  NG34 7EF
[5]Click to find out the latest on Covid.

show quoted sections

NK - FOI, North Kesteven District Council

5 Attachments

Ref No: 21/133

05 August 2021

Dear Sir/Madam

We refer to previous correspondence regarding your request for information
relating to: Data on statutory overcrowding.

The information as provided by our Housing Needs and Environmental
Protection Managers is given below:

In terms of the housing register, although our Allocations policy may
recognise if a household requires additional bedrooms due to family
structure, because they are sharing, this does not necessarily mean that
they are considered to be statutorily overcrowded due to the size of the
property & rooms.

 

1)     How many statutory overcrowding breaches did the council record for
households housed by the council in each year? Please provide a breakdown
of breaches by a) space standard and b) room standard, and specify whether
households may be captured as both a room and a space standard breach.
Housing Standards may be able to provide?

2) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than two people
have lived in a home with one room Housing Standards may be able to
provide?

3) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than three
people have lived in a home with two rooms Housing Standards may be able
to provide?

4) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than five
people have lived in a home with three rooms Housing Standards may be able
to provide?

5) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than 7.5 people
have lived in a home with four rooms Housing Standards may be able to
provide?

6) The number of breaches of the space standard where more than 10 people
have lived in a home with five rooms Housing Standards may be able to
provide?

7) For breaches of the room standard, the maximum number of people
sleeping in one room as recorded by the council Housing Standards may be
able to provide?

8) How many households who have applied for council housing are living in
temporary accommodation Any households in TA would be placed by LA under
homelessness provisions. This Data can be obtained from the MHCLG website
as it states quarterly how many households are in TA

9) Please list all the types of temporary accommodation the council has
placed households in (including but not limited to: shipping containers,
caravans, B&Bs, converted office buildings, and any other kind of
accomodation). B&B, Own housing stock (Independent units/not shared), HMO
property for single people

 

In addition, having looked at the complaints on the system, since 2016 we
have had 5 complaints about overcrowding, and from the information
provided none appear to be related to properties that the council has used
to home council tenants. We would not check on room sizing if we had not
received a complaint.

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response,
quoting the above reference number, via email at: [North Kesteven District Council request email] or
by post to North Kesteven District Council, Corporate and Customer
Services, Kesteven Street, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 7EF.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted through their
website www.ico.org.uk, by email to [email address], by telephone
0303 123 1113 or in writing to Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe
House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Yours faithfully

Angelika Fryziak

Freedom of Information
[1]NKDC [2]Facebook [3]YouTube Tel: 01529 414155
Twitter Email: foi@n‑kesteven.gov.uk
[HNG53VF58]​ [4]www.n-kesteven.gov.uk
Kesteven Street ,  Sleaford ,  NG34 7EF
[5]Click to find out the latest on Covid.

References

Visible links
1. NKDC Twitter
https://twitter.com/NorthKestevenDC
2. Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/NorthKestevenDC
3. YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/NorthKestev...
4. http://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/
5. Click to find out the latest on Covid.
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus