Housing strategy

Affordable Housing Policy has been at the forefront of Isle of Man Government policy and strategy since 1999, and it has continued to evolve and develop ever since. It is delivered primarily under the vires of 1955 Housing Act and the Housing Miscellaneous Acts of 1976 and 2011.

The Department, working closely with the Housing and Community Board, has agreed and committed to the following work programme. Some of the completion dates are still to be confirmed; the contents will be reviewed and updated on a quarterly basis.

DOI Housing and community board actions

1.1 Leaseholder Legislation for a Right to Manage/Acquire Freehold Target Date Q2 2025

The Private Members Bill Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendments) Bill 2023 (which were instigated by Lawrie Hooper and Sarah Maltby) has now been taken on by the Department with agreement from the Chief Exec. 

Department to establish what legislation is required to assist leaseholders as outlined in the Bill and to seek Tynwald approval to progress. ​

1.2 Occupancy Deposit Scheme Target Date Q3 2025

The Landlord Registration (Private Housing) Act 2021 allows for regulations to be made to establish an Occupancy Deposit Scheme.  Regulation will be required to govern this activity if a scheme is developed. The scheme can be statutory or voluntary; this will also require regulation.​

Consultation will be needed to establish options prior to decision making and implementation.

1.3 Introduction of social housing regulation Target Date TBC

Work will follow on from establishment of housing association:

• Introduction of standards across all social housing provision.​
• Regulatory 'body' will be created.​
• Areas of regulation agreed.​
• Standards agreed.​
• Will incorporate LA, DOI and Hsg Ass property

1.4 Essential Workers Target Date June 2024

The H&CB action plan for 2022/23 stated an intention to further develop keyworker housing policy. The Board agreed a definition for essential workers and allocated a list of actions, including 4 for DOI. 

1.5 Landlord Registration Regulatory Framework Phase 1 Target Date Q1 2026

The Landlord Registration (Private Housing) Act 2021 was approved by Tynwald in December 2021 to regulate the private rental sector. Private sector landlords will be required to register and meet a range of minimum standards. ​ For the Act to become enforceable, a number of supporting regulations need to be written and approved i.e. minimum property standards, landlord vetting and fees. 

1.6 Creation of Homelessness legislation Target Date TBC

There is currently no homelessness legislation to support the work being developed and introduced by the Homelessness Strategic Partnership.​

Homelessness has become a political and social island issue and it is necessary to put strategic development on a formal footing. The Department has the Vires to carry out this work and will support the Strategic Partnership to create regulation. 

1.7 Wider Review of Affordable Housing Offerings Target Date June 2024

Changes introduced to the current Shared Equity Purchase Assistance Schemes in 2022 were considered a short-term solution to open the Schemes for more people to access assistance in that way, but that a wider review of affordable housing options would be required for assisting individuals and families to buy their own home. Options may include initiatives and schemes more appropriate for other agencies and Departments to provide. Research into available options to be completed and proposals put forward for decision.​

1.8 Preferred Tenancy Agreement Target Date follow on from landlord registration work

To investigate the appetite for introducing Assured Short hold Tenancies (AST) for use by private landlords to create standardisation and clarity regarding rights and responsibilities on part of landlord and tenant.​

If positively received, to introduce AST or an alternative (subject to scoping and consultation) to create standardisation.

DOI Work stack

2.2 Fixed Term Tenancy Policy (Phase III) Target Date Q2 2025

Fixed Term Tenancy Policy (Phase II) ended with a report to Tynwald making recommendations. One recommendation asks for Tynwald to determine that housing providers adopt a proactive approach to moving existing tenants over to FTTs. To do so, would require putting the FTT Policy on a statutory footing to avoid any risk of legal challenge.

This project is dependent on whether Tynwald accepts the above recommendation and if so, will look to draft and bring forward secondary legislation under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to put the FTT Policy on a statutory footing.  

2.3 Review Public Sector Housing (General Needs) (Allocations) Policy 2019 Target Date Q3 2025

The project was initially to make amendments to the existing Public Sector Housing (General Needs) (Allocation) Policy 2019 to: ​

• Ensuring the policy meets equality requirements ​
• Has a fair and transparent appeals process​
• Future proof financial eligibility requirements ​
• Correct errors and conflicts within the secondary legislation​

Workshops have confirmed the Policy needs to be completely overhauled and replaced.

2.4 Decarbonisation Strategy for Public Sector Housing Target Date Q2 2024

To assess the energy rating of the DOI housing stock and create a strategy to bring all properties to an EPC rating of C or above.​

Plays a key role in exploring possible routes towards Government's targets as laid out in the Climate Change (Interim Target) Regulations 2022 ('the Regulations'), as a participating member of the Environment and Infrastructure Committee and as a significant contributor to the work of the Cabinet Office's Climate Transformation Board.

2.5 Housing Deficiency Financial Risks Target Date Q2 2024

Treasury noted several concerns about governance arrangements for HDP and have set requirements for DOI to meet to respond to risks identified by the Treasury.​

2.6 Review House Improvement (Adaptations) Scheme Target Date Q4 2025

The House Improvement (Adaptation) Scheme (HIAS) allows the Department to provide grants and interest free loans towards specialist equipment and structural adaptations to a person's home, subject to financial assessment.​ The scheme needs to be improved to make financial eligibility more user friendly and to make an improved range of possible adaptations available.

Housing Association work stack

3.1 Creation of a Housing Association (Phases 1) Target Date Q1 2025

Create an arms-length Housing entity by 2025 which can act as a vehicle to serve the housing needs of the island​.

3.2 Management Agreements Policy Consideration Target Date in line with Housing Association development

To determine, in line with the Housing Association projects, whether the existing Management Agreements with Braddan & Ramsey Commissioners will continue. ​

Braddan and Ramsey currently manage some of DOI's properties - this may cease in future if the properties will all be owned and managed by the HA. ​

A decision about the HA and its formation needs to be made before this project can be developed further- at that point, a project timeline will be set up. 

3.3 Periodic Rental Policy Target Date TBC

In the rent setting meetings of previous years there has been Departmental instruction to set up a periodic rental setting process so that the rent setting can follow prescribed parameters such as CPI linked increases. ​

Recent consultation has shown that local authority housing providers are not keen to change the existing process. ​

A political decision is required to determine how PSH rents are set in the future, and this is dependent on the outcome of the plans to set up a Housing Association. ​

3.4 Review of Standards of Performance Target Date TBC links in with introduction of regulation

The Standards of Performance set a range of performance measures for housing providers to meet, data on these measures is collected quarterly by the Department. ​

When SOP was first set up there was a plan to make the standards statutory in secondary legislation, as the standards are now adopted and have been fully operational for several years without issue- a decision needs to be made about whether legislation s necessary. This is likely to link in with regulation introduction.

The Department is committed to working with other stakeholders to ensure affordable housing is a key strand of any national housing strategy coming forward. This includes the core groupings of:

• Local authorities and local authority housing providers
• Third sector charities and housing providers and
• Other government agencies such as the Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Enterprise, Department of Environment Food and Agriculture, The Treasury, and the Cabinet Office.

For full details of the Housing Strategy please read the All Island Strategy for Affordable Housing 2020.