Evictions and Personal Property

The request was partially successful.

Dear Worthing Borough Council,

1. Over the past twelve months, how many people have been evicted from local authority property?
2. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted people have been licensees?
3. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted people have been tenants?
4. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted tenants have had their personal property disposed of by the local authority?
5. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted tenants have had their personal property stored by the local authority?
6. Over the past twelve months how many evicted ex-licensees have had their personal property stored by the local authority?
7. Over the past twelve months how many evicted ex-Council licensees have had their personal property stored by the local authority?
8. Please provide details of the average cost of storing an evicted persons personal property?
9. Please provide details of the average length of time that evicted persons have their personal property stored by the local authority over the past twelve months?
10. Under what circumstances does the local authority protect the personal property of evicted persons?
11. Under what circumstances do the local authority dispose of the personal property of evicted persons?
12. Under what legal basis does the local authority dispose of the personal property of evicted persons?
13. Please detail when the local authority started disposing of evicted persons personal property seven days after eviction?
14. Please disclose any policy documents or guidance issued to housing officers regarding disposing of personal property left behind by ex-Council tenants in Council property?
15. Please disclose any policy regarding evictions?
16. Please provide copies of any Equality Impact Assessments which were carried out when formulating the policies in 14 and 15.
17. Please detail over the past three years, the number of complaints that have been made by evicted persons because of the Council’s disposal of their personal property?

Yours faithfully,

Jonathan Boyle

Adur & Worthing Councils,

Hi

We have recently received a request for information and allocated it the
reference FOI/2184837/2019. Please quote this in any correspondance in
relation to this matter. 

For your information, this is what you requested:

1. Over the past twelve months, how many people have been evicted from
local authority property?
2. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted people have been
licensees?
3. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted people have been tenants?
4. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted tenants have had their
personal property disposed of by the local authority?
5. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted tenants have had their
personal property stored by the local authority?
6. Over the past twelve months how many evicted ex-licensees have had
their personal property stored by the local authority?
7. Over the past twelve months how many evicted ex-Council licensees have
had their personal property stored by the local authority?
8. Please provide details of the average cost of storing an evicted
persons personal property?
9. Please provide details of the average length of time that evicted
persons have their personal property stored by the local authority over
the past twelve months?
10. Under what circumstances does the local authority protect the personal
property of evicted persons?
11. Under what circumstances do the local authority dispose of the
personal property of evicted persons?
12. Under what legal basis does the local authority dispose of the
personal property of evicted persons?
13. Please detail when the local authority started disposing of evicted
persons personal property seven days after eviction?
14. Please disclose any policy documents or guidance issued to housing
officers regarding disposing of personal property left behind by
ex-Council tenants in Council property?
15. Please disclose any policy regarding evictions?
16. Please provide copies of any Equality Impact Assessments which were
carried out when formulating the policies in 14 and 15.
17. Please detail over the past three years, the number of complaints that
have been made by evicted persons because of the Council’s disposal of
their personal property?

You should expect to hear from us within 20 working days.

If we are are not able to provide the information, we will tell you why. 

Jan Jonker
Head of Customer Contact and Engagement | Adur & Worthing Councils  
Email: [1][Worthing Borough Council request email] | Website:
[2]www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/about-the-councils/legal/foi/

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Worthing Borough Council request email]
2. https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/about-t...

Adur & Worthing Councils,

Dear Jonathan Boyle

Thank you for your request made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
 
Please find below the Council's response to your request

1. Over the past twelve months, how many people have been evicted from
local authority property?
Worthing Borough Council is not a stock holding authority. Worthing Homes
is the largest provider in Worthing this is a housing association that is
not managed by Worthing Borough Council.

Worthing Borough Council has some leased stock for use as Temporary
Accommodation and answer given apply to this stock.
0 Evictions

2. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted people have been
licensees?
None

3. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted people have been tenants?
None (relating to tenants of leased stock in temporary accommodation)

4. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted tenants have had their
personal property disposed of by the local authority?
None

5. Over the past twelve months, how many evicted tenants have had their
personal property stored by the local authority
N/A

6. Over the past twelve months how many evicted ex-licensees have had
their personal property stored by the local authority?
8

7. Over the past twelve months how many evicted ex-Council licensees have
had their personal property stored by the local authority?
Worthing Borough Council isn't a stock holding authority.

8. Please provide details of the average cost of storing an evicted
persons personal property?
£10 per week for storage

9. Please provide details of the average length of time that evicted
persons have their personal property stored by the local authority over
the past
twelve months?
On average 3 to 4 months, occasionally up to 12 months

10. Under what circumstances does the local authority protect the personal
property of evicted persons?
Personal property is protected when it remains in accommodation when the
occupier has vacated

11. Under what circumstances do the local authority dispose of the
personal property of evicted persons?
When efforts to trace the person have been exhausted or if instructed to
do so by the owner of the property.

12. Under what legal basis does the local authority dispose of the
personal property of evicted persons?
Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977.

13. Please detail when the local authority started disposing of evicted
persons personal property seven days after eviction?
N/A

14. Please disclose any policy documents or guidance issued to housing
officers regarding disposing of personal property left behind by
ex-Council
tenants in Council property?
Worthing Borough Council is not a stock holding authority so this would
not apply

15. Please disclose any policy regarding evictions?
A copy of the evidential checklist can be viewed from the secure link
below.

16. Please provide copies of any Equality Impact Assessments which were
carried out when formulating the policies in 14 and 15.
We do not have one.

17. Please detail over the past three years, the number of complaints that
have been made by evicted persons because of the Council's disposal of
their personal property?
0 complaints regarding this.

We hope this assists you and apologise for the delay in our reply.

If you are not satisfied with the response to your request for information
you have the right to an internal review. Details can be found at:
 [1]www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/about-the-councils/legal/foi/#complaints

You can download files related to the response using this link:
[2]Download response files.

Yours sincerely

Jan Jonker
Head of Customer Contact and Engagement | Adur & Worthing Councils  
Email: [3][Worthing Borough Council request email] | Website:
[4]www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/about-the-councils/legal/foi/

 

References

Visible links
1. http://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/about-th...
2. https://adur-worthing-hr.onmats.com/w/we...
3. mailto:[Worthing Borough Council request email]
4. https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/about-t...