Band E Sheffield City Council Housing Register

Sheffield City Council has banded me in Band E, the lowest Band, stating that I have no local connection to Sheffield, even though I was born and bred in the city, was educated in the city, and have lived in Sheffield for about 30 years of my life.

I was wondering if there were others who were experiencing the same as me, with Sheffield City Council's new allocations policy.

Apparently, you can only claim a local connection based on the fact that you used to live in the area, if this is no more than 3 months since you lived in Sheffield.

I have been advised by the Sheffield Property Shop to select "Family living in area", rather than "Used to live in area", as a local connection to Sheffield, and now have to show evidence of this and this might help me in being re banded in Band D rather than the bottom Band.

I currently live just outside of Sheffield, and am happy where I am at present, but to say that I have no local connection to Sheffield is simply ludicrous to say the least.

Is Sheffield City Council no longer interested in those that come from Sheffield? It seems that they change the rules as and when they please. It is becoming ridiculous.

Checking the "Properties that I can bid for", there is just 1 property that I am currently eligible to bid for this week - in Darnall.

Something should be done about this.

So you've moved out of the area, and you're currently suitably housed...?

Do you still have family in the area? Are you saying that someone who hasn't lived in Sheffield for 5 years/10 years/20 years should still be classed as having a local connection? If not, why is your case so special?

Council housing is based on need - you don't 'need' a property, and you no longer live in Sheffield, so your position will reflect that. If, at any point, you NEED to be rehoused in to social housing then you can contact the Council and request help.

I've spoken to many friends who work for the Council and this isn't something that got decided 2 weeks ago. Consultation for this began in about 2011; some changes were made to the then policy in April 2013 and further changes were introduced in October last year, before the full new policy came in on the 1st April this year.

You're still building waiting time and may never need Council housing... so where's the problem?

Plus I believe the Council retain a small percentage of housing stock for those who come from overseas.

Angel1.

Plus I believe the Council retain a small percentage of housing stock for those who come from overseas.

 

Angel1.

Can open. Worms everywhere.

Something should be done about this.

Feel free to check out other rental properties available on the private market.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent.html

Plus I believe the Council retain a small percentage of housing stock for those who come from overseas.

 

Angel1.

SCC used to lease some council properties to the UKBA for asylum seekers in the early 2000s when they had lots of empty properties that were losing rent. Not sure that still happens.

---------- Post added 13-04-2016 at 16:23 ----------

Sheffield has been behind many authorities in changing their policy with regard to a local connection. We lived in Doncaster for over 20 years, and that's where our nearest family is. Until they have been there for 3 years we can't claim family connection if we were considering registering there.

Other applicants including homeowners are also being treated differently now. I hope people are psying attention to the letters.

Plus I believe the Council retain a small percentage of housing stock for those who come from overseas.

 

Angel1.

As Ms Macbeth states, that's only temporary for people claiming asylum whilst their request for residency is going through - but numbers have dwindled due to funding and the social housing climate, I think. If granted, those people have to go through the same route of bidding as everyone else.

So you've moved out of the area, and you're currently suitably housed...?

 

Do you still have family in the area? Are you saying that someone who hasn't lived in Sheffield for 5 years/10 years/20 years should still be classed as having a local connection? If not, why is your case so special?

 

Council housing is based on need - you don't 'need' a property, and you no longer live in Sheffield, so your position will reflect that. If, at any point, you NEED to be rehoused in to social housing then you can contact the Council and request help.

 

I've spoken to many friends who work for the Council and this isn't something that got decided 2 weeks ago. Consultation for this began in about 2011; some changes were made to the then policy in April 2013 and further changes were introduced in October last year, before the full new policy came in on the 1st April this year.

 

You're still building waiting time and may never need Council housing... so where's the problem?

I ended up living outside of Sheffield due to anti-social behaviour in one of my previous properties in Sheffield and because of this moved temporarily with my elderly parents until I could find myself a new home. Sheffield was impossible and I managed to find a lovely property via Rykneld Homes. As I have said, I am happy where I am, but in 20 years time or even sooner I may feel the need to relocate as I am not on a ground floor. I might find it difficult to climb the stairs. I most certanly DO have a local connection to Sheffied. I was born there and educated there and I have lived there for around 30 years of my life, only to have to leave due to anti social behaviour that was so bad I felt the need to vacate my home. I even had to apply for a temporary absence so my rent would still be paid. Shelter applied on my behalf for Medical Priority with the Council. I ended up mutually exchanging, moving to an area that also had a tenant next door that had been violent towards other tenants, so I ended up at my parents just outside the city. Sheffield is my home city and Sharrow is where I was brought up. I went to Sharrow Lane Infant & Junior School and Abbeydale Grange School in the 70s and early 80s. Almost all my passed jobs have been in Sheffield. I went to Granville College.

I also have lived in Woodhouse for almost 12 years of my life. Three of my siblings still live in Sheffield. If that is not a local connection, I don't know what is? The Council keep on moving the goal posts as it suits. Does the Council ever consult with the Sheffield people? I moved out of Sheffield just 16 months ago now. Wherever you were born and bred, that is where your local connection is. If someone was born and bred in Sheffield for the first 30 years of their life and then moved away for 20 years, they still would have a local connection to Sheffield, whether they have been away for 20 years or not. I do not have a local connection to Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Chesterfield, Rotherham, Barnsley or anywhere else that I have not either already lived or been born and bred in. It is as simple as that. It is about treating those that were born and bred in the city fairly and to say that I do not have a local connection to Sheffield is actually quite offensive to me.

---------- Post added 14-04-2016 at 01:23 ----------

As Ms Macbeth states, that's only temporary for people claiming asylum whilst their request for residency is going through - but numbers have dwindled due to funding and the social housing climate, I think. If granted, those people have to go through the same route of bidding as everyone else.

I really do not believe that. Are you from the Council? If I have to prove or show a local connection and am being denied, then how does an asylum seeker or economic migrant fair? This is so unfair and wrong and people need to say so.

You arent being denied anything, you have a house and you arent a priority. Stop being selfish.

You arent being denied anything, you have a house and you arent a priority. Stop being selfish.

I am not being selfish at all. Do you think that having to flee anti-social behaviour due to the fact that Sheffield City Council's Environmental Protection Service and my landlord at the time (not Council) would not act against this nuisance neighbour who had caused be such stress and fear?

I had had a 15 year run of living in Sheffield prior to me having to flee my home and moving in with my elderly parents, who are actually in their 80's. I applied for a small flat locally to them, as I could not find a property in Sheffield. If it had not been for the issues I had been facing I would still be living in Sheffield. I am not wishing to apply for a home in Sheffield at present, but do feel that my local connection to Sheffield is strong. When my parents are no longer around, I will be isolated where I currently am, and my siblings are all living in Sheffield. I do have a local connection. To say otherwise is just plain and simply wrong. This is not being selfish at all. I have said that I do not have a local connection in other areas. How unfair can that be?

---------- Post added 14-04-2016 at 10:35 ----------

This is what Shelter say's:

What does it mean to have a local connection?

Local connection is about your links with an area. You have a local connection with a local council's area if you fall into one of the following categories.

You live in the area

If you have lived in the area for six months out of the past 12, or three years out of the past five, you have a local connection. Which I have

To have a local connection, you must have lived in the area by choice. It is unlikely that you qualify if you have only lived in an area because you have been in a prison or a hospital there. But you do have a local connection if you were posted there by the armed forces.

You have close family in the area

You have a local connection if you have close family who have lived in the area for at least five years. Close family is usually limited to your mother, father, siblings or grown up children. You won't have a local connection with an area any dependent children live in, if this is different to where you live. Three of my siblings live in the area for more than 5 years.

You may have a local connection if you were brought up in the area by a different family member such as an aunt, uncle or grandparent.

You work in the area

You have a local connection if you work in the area. Your employment doesn't have to be full-time. Part-time work counts. Self-employed people can have a local connection if they mainly work in the council's area.

Other reasons

There are other special reasons that the council considers as a local connection. For example, you may need to live in an area to receive specialist health care or because in the past you lived in the area for a long time. And, I have.

If you have reasons for wanting to apply to a particular council, get advice to see if you could argue that you have a local connection to that area.

Use Shelter's directory to find face-to-face advice services in your local area.

If you don't have a local connection

If the council decides that you don't have a local connection with its area, it considers if you have a local connection with another council's area. If you do, it can refer you to that council for help, but only if your household is not at risk of violence there.

The council should not refer you to another area if you only have a local connection with the other area due to family connections and you don't want to be near your family.

Most councils will refer you to another area if they can, but they can decide not to.

If you don't have a local connection anywhere, the council you apply to must help you.

The days of simply building an entitlement to social housing based on time alone have almost gone. It may seem unfair to some, but there have always been winners and losers in the draw for social housing.

Deizeltruck, look at First Come First Served here: https://www.sheffieldpropertyshop.org.uk

There are all sorts of properties with no waiting time advertised every week. This week there are several one bedroom flats, including one near Graves Park. You never know, you might just find something there.

I had a letter from the council with my band in it; I was classed as D I think as I have no local connections to Sheffield.

It was of course, delivered to my Sheffield address, where my family and I have been for the last 4 years (in Sheffield for over 10), and I read it on my way to work in the city centre.

I wouldn't worry about it unless you actually want to bid on a property in Sheffield; I'd imagine they've classed everyone as a low band regardless of the facts unless you are actually active on their bidding system.