Virtual tours pilot

• Carried out by Elite-Visuals.  The tours at present are being organised centrally.
• Majority of the tours to-date have been for previously advertised voids (direct offers will still need to be by a physical viewing at present).
• When a void is shortlisted, allocations will send a link of the tour to the 10 shortlisted applicants by text and will ask them to contact their NHO by the close of play the following day.  NHO email address is on the text as a contact.  Allocations will check availability before sending the text.
• NHOs will also be sent the shortlist and the link to the tour to view it in advance. 
• The tour is best viewed either on a smartphone or on a laptop using Chrome or Firefox (not IE).  If a tenant contacts who has been unable to view the tour, this has nearly always been the issue.
• Tenants are expected to accept or refuse on the basis of the tour only.  This is because we are paying for the tours which also take time to do.  If we continued to allow physical viewings any time and cost savings made would be lost.
• Physical viewings are only permitted where there are exceptional reasons which are:
  -  Applicant or household member (who would be moving to the property) is registered blind or partially sighted and would need to visit to understand the layout suitability.
  -  Applicant or household member is a wheelchair user and it’s not clear if the property would be accessible (so units we already know are wheelchair accessible would be excluded).
  -  A visit with an OT is necessary to see if a property could be adapted to suit an applicant or household member.
  - Applicant is a domestic abuse survivor fleeing violence.
  - Applicant is a Housing First client and, after viewing the tour with their support worker wishes to view physically and they are the highest place applicant who wishes to accept.  They should view within 2 days with their support worker and advise of their decision the same day.
  - No one in the shortlist has accepted but one (or more applicants) has asked to physically view.  The applicant who has the highest number of points can physically view as long as this is a maximum of 2 days from the outcome results and advises of their decision the same day.
• If you have someone with another exceptional reason that you believe would require a physical viewing please discuss with your manager.  Please let Cath Armstrong and Laura Gillett know the details if a physical viewing is allowed.
• When an applicant makes contact they may wish to discuss the void or have other questions about the area/block.  Let them know if a decorating allowance is available or if they have sole or shared access to the garden. 
• If someone wishes to refuse, try to get as much detail of why as possible.  It may be worthwhile at times discussing their reasons, for example, if someone has refused as they only want a ground floor, have they been assessed as a ground floor need only (if they haven’t then they won’t be shortlisted for a ground floor), or if someone says they want more bedrooms, have they been assessed as needing that number?  It would be interesting to know why people bid for properties where certain details are in the advert that is then their reason for refusal (for example, advertised as having a certain number of stairs when their subsequent reason for refusal is that they can’t do stairs).
• Please send the completed shortlist asap after the close of play back to [email protected] (not the individual allocations officer) ccing in Cath Armstrong and Laura Gillett and fill out the RSLT void event on Northgate with the date and a comment.

Pre repairs VTs

We are currently trialling a new way of filming VTs, before works are ordered by the VS.  This is for routine voids only that don't require a lot of works (see list below).  You will be advised if one of your voids is chosen.

Once the VT is back they will be updated to CBL and advertised in the usual way.

You will be sent the shortlist as per usual and it is dealt with in exactly the same way as the others other than, if you have a conversation with the applicants, you can let them know that the work isn’t completed yet but that the property will look the same as it does on the VT.

The only works that would be done, as a general rule of thumb are health and safety checks such as fire doors, gas, electric, asbestos, window restrictors (if req) and clearance.

Hopefully, by the time routine works are completed, there will be a verified applicant ready to sign up for the tenancy.  Once you have handback you can contact the applicant and arrange a sign up date.  This will save a lot of time in the void process.

Please let us have any feedback from conversations you may have with applicants when it comes to the shortlisting. 

Process as follows:

• Address identified and forwarded to Cath Armstrong/Kimberly Tavares by Voids team
• NEC check that void isn't already a direct offer.   LINK void event updated with VT request.
• NHO advised.
• Address and key safe details passed to EV
• Void videoed, edited and forwarded to Cath Armstrong/Kimberley Tavares
• NEC updated with VT link and amended to CBL by Cath/Kimberley.
• Allocations advertise and shortlist as at present.  Link forwarded to NHO.
• HBEM date entered by voids
• Sign-up/TD

Routine works

• Health and safety checks such as
• fire doors,
• gas,
• electric,
• asbestos,
• window restrictors (if req) and
• clearance.