Newark and Sherwood District Council over-running targets on housing repairs and re-letting residential properties

It is taking a council over a month on average to re-let its properties, exceeding its target by nearly a fortnight.

Currently, it is taking Newark and Sherwood District Council an average of 40.5 days to re-let council properties, its latest community plan performance report for July to September 2024 revealed.

It was discussed at the policy and performance improvement committee meeting on November 25, where the situation was described as “disappointing”.

The authority has a 2024-25 target of 28 days to re-let its rental properties — and has been much closer to that timeframe in the same period of previous years, with 29.6 days on average in quarter two of 2023-24, and 25.1 days in quarter two of 2022-23.

It does not expect to meet the target this year, and the report stated it is “unlikely the performance will improve until additional resources are in place”.

“Process and resource issues” alongside an increase in tenants moving out of its properties were given as reasons for the longer time frame for re-letting, and a request for additional resources has been made following a review of the council’s processes and resourcing, including an external audit.

Roger Jackson said: “Presumably we know if anything needs doing when the tenants move out. It’s a bit disappointing it’s taking so long… 40 days when people are waiting for houses.”

It has also only completed 87.9% of repairs at first visit in the quarter, below its 93% target for the year, and has taken an average time of 19.6 days to complete reactive repairs in the same period, while the target is 16 days.

However, the council is currently exceeding it’s target for the length of time people spend in temporary accommodation with the average being 10.8 weeks, below its 13-week target.