Working with Landlords
BFI REF. REPORT RECOMMENDATION ACTIONS BY WHEN OUTCOME PROGRESS
5.18 Ensures that staff are aware of the landlord leaflet and that it is sent out in appropriate cases. Monitoring to be carried out Mar-04 Included with all landlord letters Completed
5.18 Develops regular and formal liaison with private landlords. Forum to include benefit and fraud awareness sessions Ongoing six monthly meetings of the Landlords forum Completed
5.18 Formalises arrangements with its housing associations. Quarterly meetings, terms of reference to be agreed Jun-04 Terms of reference - Improved working Completed and ongoing
5.18 Encourages Bankers’ Automated Clearing System for all payments made direct to landlords. Requests sent with landlord agreement Apr-04 Increase % of BACS payments Ongoing
5.27 Produces written procedures so that staff can apply the fit and proper person test to decide against or end direct payments to landlords. Revise current procedures to cover all aspects May-04 Meet the standards Completed
5.3 Develops written procedures for staff on the circumstances when recovery of HB overpayments should be sought from claimants rather than landlords. Develop through work with PIAT team Jun-04 Improve overpayment administration Completed
5.3 Develops written guidance for staff on the application of the regulations that prevent the recovery of HB overpayments from landlords who report suspected fraud in certain circumstances. Develop through work with PIAT Jun-04 Improve overpayment administration Completed
           
  Best Value Review        
  More training for outside agencies Identify need through the Benefits & Landlords Forums Mar-04 + ongoing Satisfaction survey Completed but ongoing
  Further development of the Benefits Forum Terms of ref, who should attend, task finish dates, feeding back to each organisation Mar-04 Agreed at meeting on 11 March 2004 Completed
  Better links with the Landlords Forum   Mar-04 + ongoing Regular attendance at Landlords Forum Completed & Ongoing
  Use of HA's form saying HA can act for claimant Take to Benefits Forum Jun-04 Consent form to be agreed Completed
  Better info to landlords on the status of claims Monthly e-mail to HA's on the status of all claims May-04 % payments direct to landlords Completed
  Better co-ordination of information between agencies 3 largest RSL's to do "verification" Apr-04 Nos verified by RSL's Completed
  Improve home visits Coordinate visits with FAB & DWP Jul-04 No of joint visits With abolition of renewals not found to be visiting same clients
  Update on future legislation changes Newsletters / forums to provide updates Mar-04 + on-going Raising awareness Completed