Housing
Sandwell is a Metropolitan Borough in the West Midlands, which includes neighbouring towns West Bromwich, Wednesbury, Tipton, Oldbury, Rowley Regis and Smethwick.
The Borough covers 8,600 hectares, has 115,426 households and a population of 282,904 as recorded in the 2001 census.
Social housing in Sandwell is provided through a wide range of providers. Council housing is managed by Sandwell Homes an arms length management organisation. It manages, maintains and improves Sandwell Council's housing and estates
Council Housing within Sandwell is now managed by Sandwell Homes on behalf of Sandwell MBC. The aim of Sandwell Homes is to provide all our council tenants and leaseholders with the standard of housing they deserve.
Housing Associations also provide social housing in Sandwell, and the Council runs the new Property Shops which were set up to help people find the right kind of home to live in from those provided by the Council and housing associations.
Details of Neighbourhood Offices, Repairs Centres and other useful contacts in relation to Sandwell Homes can be found on the Sandwell Homes website.
The following services are operated by Sandwell Homes on behalf of Sandwell MBC:
- Repairs and maintenance of Council housing, including property alterations, emergency repairs and planned maintenance.
- Allocation of tenancies, Council waiting Lists and Council House exchanges and introductory tenancies.
- Advice to tenants on their rights and services available to them, including Right to Buy.
- Home Contents Insurance for Council tenants.
- Temporary Accommodation.
- Help for the Homeless, sheltered housing and related services, such as Community Alarms.
- Investigating and taking action on anti-social behaviour (ASB) by Council tenants, and managing unauthorised occupation and evictions.
- Collecting rents on behalf of the Council.
- Communal facilities, keeping estates clean and tidy, garden maintenance, and providing a caretaking and cleaning service on flatted estates.
- Supporting tenant participation.
Sandwell MBC Housing’s responsibility is to ensure that there is appropriate housing available for everyone who lives in Sandwell. The following services are still operated by Sandwell MBC or are a joint responsibility:
- Setting rents.
- Council Tax and Housing Benefit.
- Adaptations to homes.
- Housing crime and initiatives for the Homeless.
- Issuing Anti-Social Behaviour Orders.
- Support for Private Housing.
- Supported Housing.
- Housing surveys.
- Home Move and Housing grants, and decoration allowances.