Appeals and reviews on housing decisions

Any tenant, applicant or other Housing client can appeal against a decision made by housing officers, or ask for a review of a homelessness decision.

In most cases, apart from reviews of certain homelessness decisions*, appeals are considered by the appropriate Assistant Director of Housing:

Appeals should be made in writing to:

Assistant Director of Housing,

Epping Forest District Council,

Civic Offices,  High Street,

Epping,  Essex  CM16 4BZ

In specific circumstances, Housing clients may have a further right of appeal to the Housing Appeals and Review Panel (HARP), if they disagree with the decision of the Assistant Director of Housing. The Housing Appeals and Review Panel comprises five district councillors and will consider decisions made on the following issues: -

Successor tenants under-occupying their council properties and being required to transfer to smaller accommodation.

Housing applicants who have been excluded from the Housing Register

Council tenants who have been refused discretionary home improvement grants.

Council tenants who have been refused disabled adaptations.

The Council's refusal to sell an area of Council-owned land under 50 square metres for garden use.

The Council's refusal to a housing applicant's request for a priority move.

Council tenants disagreeing with the Council about their level of liability for current or former rent arrears.

Housing applicants disagreeing with the Council's decisions on their priority 'bandings'.

Reviews of homelessness decisions must be requested within 21 days of the decision being made. All other appeals must be made within 3 months.

* There is a statutory right of appeal in certain homelessness cases and these will be dealt with by the Housing Appeals and Review Panel, not the Assistant Director of Housing.

Leaflet available “Housing appeals, homelessness reviews and complaints”

Phone: 01992 564281