Section 297 - Family intervention tenancies: general
841.This section will enable local housing authorities and registered providers of social housing (in England) and registered social landlords (in Wales) to offer tenancies which will not be secure or assured tenancies to certain tenants who have lost or are potentially at risk of losing their secure or assured tenancy. These tenancies will be offered for the purposes of providing behavioural support services to tenants against whom a possession order for anti-social behaviour has been made or to tenants who could face possession proceedings on the grounds of anti-social behaviour.
842.Subsection (1) inserts a new paragraph 4ZA into Schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1985 (tenancies which are not secure tenancies).
843.Sub-paragraph (1) of the new paragraph provides that family intervention tenancies are not secure tenancies.
844.Sub-paragraph (2) provides that the tenancy can become a secure tenancy if the landlord so notifies the tenant.
845.Sub-paragraph (3) defines a family intervention tenancy for the purposes of this paragraph as a tenancy granted by a local authority to a person for the purposes of the provision of behaviour support services and against whom a possession order in respect of another dwelling-house:
has been made in relation to a secure tenancy on the grounds of anti-social behaviour or;
could have been so made in relation to a secure tenancy; or
could have been so made if the tenant had had such a tenancy.
846.Sub-paragraph (4) provides the new tenancy will not be a family intervention tenancy unless the local housing authority has served a notice under sub-paragraph (5).
847.Sub-paragraph (5) provides the information the notice must contain including that the tenant is under no obligation to enter into the tenancy or unless otherwise required to do so to surrender any existing tenancy or possession of a dwelling-house. Entry into the tenancy will be voluntary.
848.Sub-paragraph (6) provides that the contents of the notice may be amended by regulations made by statutory instrument. These regulations may contain transitional, transitory or saving provisions. Where regulations amend or repeal the contents of the notice set out in sub-paragraph (5) they will be subject to affirmative procedure.
849.In addition the notice must contain advice to the tenant as to how they may be able to obtain assistance in relation to the notice (sub-paragraph (7)). The type of advice to be provided in the notices may be provided for by regulations (sub-paragraph (8)) made by statutory instrument.
850.Sub-paragraph (12) provides definitions for the terms used in the new paragraph 4ZA. “Behaviour support services” is defined as those support services that are identified in a behaviour support agreement and are provided by any person to the new tenant or persons living with them for the purposes of addressing the anti-social behaviour which has led to the local authority taking possession action or of being of the opinion that such a possession claim could be made. Behaviour support agreements are defined as agreements between the tenant and the local housing authority about behaviour and the provision of support services.
851.Subsection (2) inserts new paragraph 12ZA into Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1988 (tenancies which cannot be assured tenancies).
852.New paragraph 12ZA mirrors the provisions in new paragraph 4ZA above in respect of family intervention tenancies granted by registered providers of social housing (in England) and registered social landlords (in Wales).
853.Subsection (3) provides that the new provisions in new paragraph 4ZA of Schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1985 and paragraph 12ZA of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Housing Act 1988 will not apply to any tenancy granted before this section comes into force.
