Action plan
Action plan: Strategic housing priorities and actions
Increase the supply of genuinely affordable homes across the borough
Actions:
- Provide 35% affordable housing on all private urban development sites of over 15 units (10+ units where non urban) or over half a hectare, or 20% in Central Dartford, applied in compliance with the Local Plan, and with exceptions as set out.
- Ensure that a genuine variety and sustainable mix of housing is provided, particularly on larger development sites.
Main partners:
- Developers, housing associations, Planning
Relieve homelessness and end rough sleeping
Actions:
- Implement the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-2029 Action Plan.
- Implement the Domestic Abuse Housing Strategy 2024-2027 Action Plan.
- Review the Temporary Accommodation Strategy.
- Undertake a review of the Sanctuary Scheme referral Procedure.
Main partners:
- Dartford Homelessness Forum
- Internal
Deliver the outcomes of the Regulator of Social Housing’s consumer and economic standards
Actions
- Collect and publish annual tenant satisfaction measures
- Publish an annual complaints performance and service improvement report
- Set up a housing complaints panel to scrutinise complaint handling performance.
- Prepare for the introduction of the Competence and Conduct Standard
- Prepare for inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing
Main partners
- Internal
- Tenants
Improve housing conditions in the private rented sector and reduce the number of empty homes
Actions
- Review the Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy.
- Prepare for the implementation of the Renters Rights Bill.
Main partners
- Private sector landlords, Home Improvement Agency, other local authorities
- Internal
Provide a high quality housing service and ensure our homes are well maintained
Actions
- Undertake a full stock condition survey in 2025, and ensure adaptations form part of the stock condition survey.
- Attain 100% decency in line with the Decent Homes Standard.
- Develop a revised programme of planned works to comply with the new Decent Homes Standard once it is introduced.
- Implement and comply with Awaab’s Law once the new requirements have been introduced in secondary legislation.
- Set up mechanisms to monitor the compliance with Awaab’s Law and the time limits to address hazards which will be introduced through the legislation.
- Complete the development of the Housing Revenue Account Housing Statutory Maintenance Compliance Policy.
Main partners
- Internal
- Surveying contractor
Engage with and listen to our tenants and to take their views into account when developing new housing services and policies
Actions
- Consult with tenants in the development stages of new services, policies and strategies.
- Consult with tenants when major changes to a policy or strategy are being proposed.
- Set up mechanisms to feedback to tenants the outcome of consultations and satisfaction survey work.
- Complete the review and consultation on a revised Tenancy Agreement and Tenancy Support Pack.
Main partners
- Internal
- Tenants
Engage meaningfully with our tenants and improve communication
Actions
- Conduct the yearly tenant satisfaction measures survey and implement the feedback received.
- Learn from each tenant satisfaction measures survey to increase participation year on year.
- Encourage more tenants and leaseholders to become part of the DTLF.
- Set up and host regular resident surgeries in various estates across the borough.
- Provide regular updates to tenants via various communication channels.
- Hold more frequent estate inspections and walk-arounds.
- Complete a review of our current engagement and communication methods to enhance resident engagement.
- Establish and put in place regular feedback mechanisms which allow residents to feedback to us and suggest improvements.
Main partners
- Internal
- Tenants
- Customer research agency