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Environmental Information Regulations procedures please contact the team
by emailing [1][Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]

 

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Yours sincerely

 

FOI Team

 

 

T: 01892 554077

E: [2][Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]

01892 554077

Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1RS

[3]www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk         

 

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References

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2. mailto:[Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]
3. http://www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/

Dear Chris Stevenson,

Re: FOI F11890

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.

Please find below the response to your recent request. The information has
been provided by our Housing Team.

Your request and our response:

• How many people are on the waiting list for social housing in Tunbridge
Wells

842 as of 26/05/23

 

• The length of time each category of people spend on the waiting list
before they are successful in their application for social housing

 

Table below shows the average waiting time for applicants in each priority
band by property type/size for allocations made between 1^st April 2022
and 31^st March 2023

N/a means there were no lets made

 

  Band A Band B Band C Band D
Sheltered Accommodation 6 months 9 months N/a 3 months
Studio General Needs 7 months 11 months N/a 3 months
One Bedroom Flat 14 months 23 months N/a 15 months
Two Bedroom Flat 16 months 15 months 32 months 15 months
Two Bedroom House 26 months 26 months 19 months 4 years
Three Bedroom House 4 years 3 years 13 months N/a
Four Bedroom House 6 years N/a N/a N/a

 

 

• The number of people currently in temporary accommodation (such as
hostels or bed and breakfasts) while waiting for social housing

73 households in temporary accommodation under the Council’s duties or
powers under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 as at 26/05/23

 

• The length of time those people are expected to stay in temporary
accommodation before they receive a) private sector accommodation or b)
social housing

There is no expected length of time. Temporary accommodation is provided
under the Council’s duties or powers under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996
until such time as a decision is reached on what duty may be owed the
applicant and until any such duty is able to be discharged.

 

• The minimum and maximum time people spend in temporary accommodation

There is no minimum or maximum time – please see response to question
above

 

• How much it costs Tunbridge Wells Council to place someone in temporary
accommodation

The net spend of temporary accommodation for the financial year 2022-23
was £9,421.

 

• The amount of social housing offered to applicants each year

347 social housing units were allocated in 2022-23

 

• The average time applicants who were successful had to wait before they
were allocated social housing

Please see response to question 2

 

Additionally, could you please provide me with the following:

 

• The number of social housing units currently managed by the council

Nil

 

• The average age and state of repair of social housing units

N/a

 

• The number of social housing applications received, approved, and
rejected for the last two years

2021-22 – 1367 applications

2022-23 – 1469 applications

 

• Any available data or estimates on the number of homeless individuals or
families within the borough.

The Council currently owes the main housing duty to 38 applicants and the
relief duty to 67 applicants

 

If you are dissatisfied with the information provided or the way in which
we have dealt with your request, you can request a review.   Please write
to Mid-Kent Legal Services, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1
1RS or via e-mail to [1][email address]  requesting a review
of the decision.

We will aim to deal with your request within 20 working days. If you
remain dissatisfied following our review, you can then appeal to the
Information Commissioner.

Yours sincerely

FOI Team

 

T: 01892 554077

E: [2][Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]

Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1RS

[3]www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

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