How much is too much for States house tenants?
IS IT possible to get anyone at Housing to sing from the same hymn book? I don't think any communication happens at all in this department. States house tenants have been to meeting after meeting with the question, 'how much are they allowed to have in a bank before they have to either vacate their dwelling, or pay extra rent until they are down to the level allowed (in the bank) before having money taken off them in extra rent?' I have to say that, personally, I have had quotes from £20,000 down to £3,000. There have been other quotes of different amounts in between as well.
How on earth can anyone possibly know where they stand with this kind of incompetence coming out of the department? Every person one asks this question to gives a different answer.
They either do not know, and pluck a number out of the air, instead of being honest and admitting they do not know, or they are being told different figures from higher up the ladder themselves. Which of these it is, is not important. What is important is they are showing how incompetent they are and if they did have any respect they are very quickly losing it. Please can someone from this department make an open statement for everyone to hear and then they (States house tenants) would understand and know what the official amount of money a person living in States accommodation is allowed to have in their bank without having to hand it over to the Housing in rent?
ROD HAMON,
5, Rosemount,
Mont Arrive,
St Peter Port,
GY1 2AF.
Editor's footnote: Director of Housing Jim Roberts replies: I would take issue with your correspondent's accusations of incompetence, because different allowances do apply, ranging from £10,920 to £23,400, but I am happy to explain how Housing treats tenants' savings.
Applicants and tenants are allowed to save up a nest egg without it affecting their eligibility for social housing or the amount of rent they are charged. Because nest eggs are intended to give tenants something to fall back on in the event of an emergency, such as a drop in income linked to sickness or the loss of employment, larger households are allowed larger nest eggs.
If a tenant has more than the relevant nest egg, either because they've saved up or because they've come into money, Housing will cancel or reduce their rent rebate. Tenants are expected to use 'surplus' savings to pay the higher rent. Household size and income determine the precise rent charged and the point at which the rebate is reinstated.
Sometimes – usually as a result of an inheritance – a tenant will find themselves with savings far in excess of the relevant nest egg. If they have enough money to live in the private rental sector for at least three years they will be given notice to leave social housing. Again, Housing looks at specific household size and income when calculating a tenant's ability to rent privately.
All of the above is explained in detail in Housing's capital sums policy, which is available on the States of Guernsey website: https://gov.gg/tenancymanagement.
The £20,000 and £3,000 mentioned by your correspondent are amounts relating to supplementary benefit rules, so separate from rent rebates and tenancy matters. £20,000 is the maximum savings that you can have and still make a claim for supplementary benefit. £3,000 is the amount of savings that a single working-age person is allowed before their entitlement to medical cover is affected.
