Frequently Asked Questions

Questions:

Where is my client on the waiting list?
 
My client's waiting list position has gone down by a few places.  How can this happen if your waiting list is in date order?
 
My client has been nominated to a property but they were tenth on the waiting list.  Wasn't someone above them on the list nominated instead?
 
My client is on the Clearing House waiting list and wants to reject their final offer.  What will happen if they do this?
 
I have referred a client to a property advertised on the Clearing House voids list.  If they reject the property can they be referred again?
 
How can I refer a client to a property advertised on the Clearing House voids list?
 
I want to refer a client to the Clearing House.  However, they lost an RSI tenancy recently.  Can I do this?
 
Can we refer a couple through the Clearing House?
 
My client is an RSI tenant and has a child/is pregnant.  Can they get a transfer through the Clearing House?
 
Can my client transfer through the Clearing House from shared to self-contained accomodation?
 
How long will my client have to wait of the Clearing House waiting list?
 
What happens if a property is not up to standard when we view it?
 
My client on the waiting list has a dog.  Is this a problem?
 
My client has arrived for our property without a referral worker.  Is this ok?

Answers:

Where is my client on the waiting list?

If you work for a Clearing House approved referral agency or a TST, you can check client's waiting list positions for each borough on the Clearing House website  If you don't know your user name or password, or your password has expired, please contact the Clearing House.  If your agency doesn't have access to this facility, call the Clearing House and we will look up your client's waiting list position for you.

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My client has been nominated to a property but they were tenth on the waiting list.  Wasn't someone above them on the list nominated instead?

We always look closely at the specific details about clients including their support needs, health issues etc. and try to match these to the criteria for the property we are nominating to.  This helps to reduce the number of failed nominations, and tenancies.  However it does mean that some people with particular issues such as needing a particular area, having serious support issues, having a dog etc., may wait longer than other clients, and we may have several people at the top of the waiting list who we can't nominate to a particular property.

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My client is on the Clearing House waiting list and wants to reject their final offer.  What will happen if they do this?

Unless the rejection is for a justifiable reason under Clearing House policy, their Clearing House application will be cancelled.  They can only be referred again after 12 months.

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I have referred a client to a property advertised on the Clearing House voids list.  If they reject the property can they be referred again?

Yes.  Properties advertised on our Voids list are hard for us to let, so there is no penalty if a client turns down the property.  However, please don't refer clients unless they have a serious interest in accepting.

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How can I refer a client to a property advertised on the Clearing House voids list?

The Voids list is published every Friday on the Clearing House Website and faxed to approved agencies.  Clients need to be former rough sleepers, who meet the criteria for the property, but do not necessarily need to have a CHAIN number. 

If you have a suitable client who is interested in one of the properties, you can reserve the property by calling the Clearing House after 9.30 a.m. on the following Monday.  This works on a first come first served basis, and voice mail reservations are not accepted.

Once you have booked a property we will hold it for you.  We need to have received a completed Clearing House Application form which has been signed by the client before 3.00 p.m. on the Thursday.

Otherwise we will re-advertise the void.

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I want to refer a client to the Clearing House.  However, they lost an RSI tenancy recently.  Can I do this?

No.  Clients who lost or gave up an RSI tenancy in the last 12 months cannot be referred to the Clearing House, even through the voids list.  The only exception is if the Clearing House team leader is willing to accept a written appeal.  An appeal might be accepted if there has been a genuine change of circumstances which means a subsequent tenancy would be unlikely to break down.

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Can we refer a couple through the Clearing House?

Yes, but the way to do this is to refer one client as the prospective tenant, and make it clear that their partner (who may or may not also have been a rough sleeper) will also be living in the property.  We will then nominate for a 1-bed flat, but it may take longer to be housed, as some housing providers are reluctant to house couples.

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My client is an RSI tenant and has a child/is pregnant.  Can they get a transfer through the Clearing House?

No.  The Clearing House can only nominate to RSI accommodation, which is all intended for single people.  RSI tenants with children need to approach their housing provider for a transfer.

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Can my client transfer through the Clearing House from shared to self-contained accomodation?

No.  This currently isn't allowed, unless in very exceptional circumstances.  The Clearing House and the Homelessness Directorate recognise that there is a problem in getting access to Move On from some RSI shared properties, and are looking at ways to attempt to address this.

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How long will my client have to wait of the Clearing House waiting list?

It depends on various factors such as the areas they have chosen, their support needs, pets etc..  However, on average around 30% of people get a nomination within 3 months of being entered on the database, and around 80% within 6 months.

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What happens if a property is not up to standard when we view it?

If the property is genuinely unsuitable for letting, this can be a justified reason for rejecting it.  Clients are expected to accept properties needing minor repairs and/or decoration.  For more details, contact the Clearing House.

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My client on the waiting list has a dog.  Is this a problem?

It may well be.  There are relatively few RSI properties where dogs are allowed, and in some areas hardly any.  Clients with dogs usually have to wait significantly longer than other clients.  On the other hand, if you do not inform the Clearing House that your client has a dog, and their nomination is rejected by a housing provider for this reason, we would treat this as an unjustified rejection of the property.

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My client has arrived for our property without a referral worker.  Is this ok?

No.  Good practice is for clients to be accompanied to housing interviews and referral agencies should ensure that this happens.  The housing provider has a right to reschedule the interview if they wish.

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