Stoke-on-Trent City Council wants to refresh its Void Management Policy, which was originally approved in 2020, to ensure that the service remains fit for purpose and meets the needs of residents.

The Void Management Policy ensures that a property is properly managed when it becomes vacant, and that it is brought up to the council’s “lettable” standard before a new tenant moves in.

The council needs to review the Void Management Policy to check that it meets the requirements of existing regulations and new proposals through the Social Housing Regulation Bill 2022, the Building Safety Act 2022 and Fire Safety Act 2022.

Who carries out the Void Management works?

All repairs and maintenance, void management works and health and safety works carried out to city council properties are undertaken by Unitas Stoke-on-Trent Ltd, the council’s wholly owned repairs and maintenance company.  

Proposed Policy Changes include:

• Updating the legislative/statutory framework section to include reference to a broader range of legislation, for example, linked to asbestos, health and safety, and smoke and carbon monoxide requirements, along with clear statements around how the council will manage its compliance obligations in terms of health and safety.

• Offering all new tenants the opportunity to provide feedback relating to the void management and allocations process by completing a New Tenancy Survey.
• Establishing the reason why a tenant has given notice to leave, to help the council manage properties more efficiently.

• Expanding the lettable standard to include:
  • The provision of a decent homes standard bathroom, or wet room if the property is a bungalow, at the council’s discretion
  • Water services to be flushed in line with current regulations, in accordance with the Legionella Control Plan
  • The provision of a working carbon monoxide detector in all required rooms

Have your say

The consultation has now closed.

Please take the time to read the draft policy before completing the survey. Click the button below:

Draft Void Management Policy

More information

At the same time we are consulting on our review of the Repairs and Maintenance Policy 2023. If you would like to feedback on the draft Repairs and Maintenance Policy 2023 – click here for the short survey - you can complete both surveys.

There will also be an opportunity to attend an online workshop via Zoom and face-to-face drop-ins taking place at various community lounges throughout the city, during the consultation period. Dates and times to be confirmed, together with booking arrangements..

For further information about the consultation please email housing.strategy@stoke.gov.uk or call 01782 231172.

This survey is being carried out with support from an external organisation, Housing Quality Network (HQN).  Please be reassured that this study is being carried out in accordance with the 2018 Data Protection Act and 2018 GDPR legislation by HQN on behalf of Stoke-on-Trent City Council. All data will remain confidential, and feedback will be anonymised before analysis unless you say otherwise at the end of the survey.

A Stakeholder Survey Privacy Notice can be found by clicking the link below:

Stakeholder Survey Privacy Notice

What happens next?

Feedback gathered from the consultation will be considered and reflected within the final Void Management Policy 2023, which will be presented to Cabinet for consideration later in the year.