Thousands of Hertfordshire residents kicked off council house waiting list

Prior to the change, there were 4,894 live and on hold applications, but now only 1,336 households are able to bid for homes.

In total, 2,458 applications have been removed from the list as they are no longer eligible for a council home under the new rules.

People who have been removed have received template letters from the council this week saying: “Your existing application has been assessed under the new eligibility rules and you are no longer eligible to be on the housing register.”

A consultation on the proposed changes was run in 2022, with the proposals signed off last year.

The changes mean only those with a statutory housing need will remain on the waiting list in the area.

This includes those who are homeless, living in an overcrowded property, living in a property that is unfit or in poor condition, have a medical need or disability which is made worse by their current home, or need to move due to hardship.

Among those to have been removed from the waiting list are single people or couples who are sharing a home with another household, and people who are “adequately housed” in privately rented accommodation.

Other rule changes coming into effect mean same sex children will be expected to share a bedroom until they are 18 – up from 16 – and people with rent or housing debt of more than £1,000 will not be able to bid for any council homes.

Currently, the council owns fewer than 8,000 homes – down from a total of 32,000 in the 1980s before national right-to-buy legislation was introduced – with around 300 becoming available each year.

Around 500 council homes have been built in Stevenage in recent years.

The letter sent to residents in recent days says the rule changes have been introduced because “housing demand” in Stevenage is so great that those without a statutory housing need “will almost certainly not be able to receive an offer of accommodation”.

Councillor Jackie Hollywell, cabinet member for housing at the council, said the new policy’s aim is “to ensure fair and effective resource allocation while meeting the needs of our community.

She said the council had “made every effort to ensure individuals were aware of the changes prior to implementation”, and had adjusted its policy “taking into account relevant legislation and case law specifying the need for councils and housing associations to give reasonable and additional preferences to certain categories of applicants”.

Councillor Hollywell added: “We fully understand the uncertainty that changes such as this bring and remain committed to supporting our residents, encouraging anyone with concerns to contact us directly so we can provide clarity or assistance where needed.”

A Stevenage Borough Council spokesperson said: “All applicants were advised in the summer that a new policy was being implemented and what the changes were going to be.”