Dear Karen Jenkins

 

INFORMATION REQUEST

 

Thank you for your request for information, which we received on 5^th
August 2013. We acknowledge receipt of your request, and we will respond
to your request separately.

 

Most information requests are dealt with under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000. However environmental information is considered for disclosure
under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.  If the information
you have requested is personal information about yourself, we must
consider disclosure under the Data Protection Act 1998.  If this is the
case we will provide you with a subject access request form for completion
and notify you of relevant timescales and fees.

 

We will transfer the request to the correct legislation automatically, as
required by the Freedom of Information Act.  For further information on
how we will deal with your request, please see the table below.

 

If you have any queries or concerns then please contact me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

GARETH GRIFFITHS

 

Corporate Information Governance Assistant

 

 

 

  Freedom of Information Act 2000 &

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

 

We will consider the following points in dealing with your request for
information.

 

Timescales for We will consider your request and you should
responding to you receive the information within the statutory
timescale of 20 working days, unless the
information is not held or is exempt from
disclosure. Both the Freedom of Information Act and
the Environmental Information Regulations allow
this timescale to be extended in certain
circumstances.  If your request is affected by a
timescale extension we will explain this to you.
Third Party If the information you request contains reference
Information to a third party they may be consulted prior to a
decision being taken on whether we disclose the
information to you.  We will tell you if this is
the case.
Format of Information We will try to respond in the format that you have
provided requested.  If this is not possible we will let you
know.  If you require alternative formats, e.g.
language, audio, braille, large print, etc. then
please let us know.
Exemptions The Freedom of Information Act and the
Environmental Information Regulations 2004 define a
number of exemptions, which may prevent release of
the information you have requested.  Before we
provide the information we will consider whether it
is proper to release it.  If any of the exemption
categories do apply then the information will not
be released.  We will tell you if this is the case,
and you will have a right of appeal.
Fees You may have to pay a fee for this information
under the Freedom of Information and Data
Protection (Appropriate Limits and Fees
Regulations) 2004.  We will consider this and let
you know.  If so you will have to pay the fee
before we process and release the information.  The
20 working day time limit for responding will not
resume until we receive your payment.
You have the right to If you wish to If you are unhappy with that
appeal against our appeal please set decision you have the right to
decision. out in writing your appeal to:
grounds of appeal
  and send to: Information Commissioner’s
Office – Wales
Freedom of Information Information Unit 2nd Floor
Act 2000 / Caerphilly county Churchill House
Environmental borough council, Churchill Way
Information Penallta House Cardiff
Regulations 2004 Tredomen Park CF10 2HH
Hengoed. CF82 7PG
 
Appeals will be
determined by Mr. Tel: 029 2067 8400
Daniel Perkins – Fax: 029 2067 8399
Head of Legal and Email: [1][email address]
Democratic Services
Website: [2]www.ico.org.uk

 

 

 

 

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Dear Karen Jenkins

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST

 

Thank you for your request for information received on the 5h August
2013.  We have considered your request and enclose the following
information:

 

 

1. How many general needs properties do you have available to Let (voids)?
Please list number of bedrooms.

General needs – 1 bed: 1, 2 beds: 27, 3 beds: 48, 4 beds: 4.  Total 80

Single person – 1 bed: 3, 2 bed: 1. Total 4

Correct at 13.08.13

 

2. How many tenants are deemed to be under-occupying, and needing: one bed
accommodation? two bedroom accommodation?

In relation to Council tenants 2181 are under occupying

1696 under occupying by 1 room

485 under occupying by 2 rooms

We do not have information to enable us to provide the bedroom need of the
tenants under-occupying.

 

3. How many tenants are deemed to be over-crowded?

We prioritise applications according to our Allocations policy which is
not based on the legal definition for overcrowding.

Although we do not hold information on overcrowding, 108 applicants
currently have points for lacking bedrooms.

 

4. How many people are already on the waiting list for one bedroom and two
bedroom properties respectively?

As at 13.08.2013, there are 4,187 applicants registered.  2,199 people are
registered for one bedroom properties and 3,248 registered for two bedroom
properties.  Included in this 4,187 figure there are also 1,260 are
registered for both one and two bedrooms.

 

5. How many tenants have applied for a DHP since March 2013? If not
council tenant please could you list landlord?

As at 06.08.13; 751 Tenants have applied for a DHP. They consist of
Council Tenants, Housing Association and Private Landlord

 

6. How many of these applications have been rejected and on what grounds?

150 were rejected on the grounds that they could afford to pay 

 

 

7. Please could you supply your latest legal requirements/tenancy
agreement rules or information on renting rooms to a lodger?

The tenancy agreement currently states:

Subletting

You will not sublet the whole of the property. You may sublet part of the
property provided this does not cause overcrowding and you obtain the
council’s written consent which will not be unreasonably withheld.

You may take in lodgers provided this does not cause overcrowding and you
immediately inform the council in writing that you have done so.

We also provide a basic advice sheet to tenants  (see attached)  on
request or when any tenant notifies us that they are going to take in a
lodger or when any application to sublet is received.  This advice sheet
is currently under review with our legal department to consider if we can
offer any additional advice and signposting for tenants to assist them
with their options, and in raising their awareness of their
obligations should they take in lodgers or sublet.

 

As part of the response to the Welfare Reform, taking in a lodger is one
of the options we advise to tenants for making up the shortfall in their
rent.  This is referred to in the advice leaflet promoted by our Rents
Section.

 

 

We supply this information based on your original request.  If this is not
what you wanted or if you feel we have not fully understood your request
please do not hesitate to contact me to clarify your exact requirements.

 

If you have any queries or concerns or are in any way dissatisfied with
the handling of your request please contact me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

GARETH GRIFFITHS

Corporate Information Governance Assistant

 

 

 

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental Information Regulations
2004

 

You have the right to appeal against our decision.
If you wish to appeal please set If you are unhappy with that decision you
out in writing your grounds of have the right to appeal to:
appeal and send to:
 
Corporate Information Governance
Unit Information Commissioner’s Office – Wales
Caerphilly county borough 2nd Floor, Churchill House
council, Churchill Way
Penallta House Cardiff CF10 2HH
Tredomen Park
Hengoed. CF82 7PG  

  Tel: 029 2067 8400
Fax: 029 2067 8399
Appeals will be determined by Email: [1][email address]
Mr. Daniel Perkins – Head of
Legal and Democratic Services Website: [2]www.ico.org.uk

 

 

Re-use of information without permission may infringe the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988. Re-use can include, but is not limited to,
making multiple copies, publishing and issuing copies of the information
to a wider audience. If you would like to re-use copyright material owned
by Caerphilly County Borough Council, please contact us. Authorisation to
re-use copyright material not owned by this Authority should be sought
directly from the copyright owner.

 

 

 

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