Examples of good and sufficient reasons for declining a social housing property

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• The property has fewer bedrooms than the assessed needs.

• The property has the correct number of bedrooms for the assessed needs, but the client feels the rooms are too small.

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• The property has no curtains and the housing provider has advised they won't provide them.
• Client has an anxiety disorder and cannot live in a shared environment as it would result in isolation and risk to health condition.
• The lawn is too big for the client to maintain due to their health condition or disability.

• The property has no curtains but the housing provider has advised they will install them; however the client still decides to decline the property.
• Client feels the property does not have a big enough living room for their family.
• Property does not have a garage.
• The property is not suitable for the family pet (where there is no health/disability need).
• Client wants a separate shower and the property only has a shower over a bath (no health/disability need for this).
• Client simply doesn't want to have to share a lounge area and kitchen on the grounds of them wanting their own space.
• The client thinks the lawn is too big and doesn't want to have to mow it themselves (no health condition/disability exists).

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• The property does not have an outside space which the client requires for a blind or companion dog.
• The property has stairs and the client has had a knee replacement surgery which would make it difficult to access the property.
• The property does not have enough storage for the client's medical equipment.
• The car park is located a distance from the property making the property unsuitable due to the persons health or disability or impact on young children.

• Client is not happy with the cosmetic appearance of the property.
• Client doesn't want to live in an upstairs property.
• The property does not have enough storage for a person's hobby.
• Client does not want to live in an apartment.
• Client has teenage children who like to play soccer and therefore require a backyard.
• The car park is located a distance from the property and there is no identified need for why this is not suitable for the client.
• The client wants a standalone property (no medical condition exists to say they specifically require one).

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• The property is unsuitable because they require a secure property for their autistic son, and the provider is unable to fence the property.
• Client or other person included in the offer needs fencing due to health condition or disability eg autism, dementia.
• Property has no fencing at all and the client has small children.

• Property has a fenced play area away from the road and driveway, however the client still chooses to decline.
• Client wants fencing because they want privacy and to stop people from walking on their front-lawn (and there is no identified need).
• Fencing didn't have locks on the gates as needed for client's child with special needs. Housing provider advises they will add locks, however client still chooses to decline the property.

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• It would be unreasonable for the client to continue to see their current health practitioner but they can't get into another health practitioner closer to the property and they regularly see a  health practitioner because of their disability needs.
• Client's children are settled in their current school or day-care and accepting the property would mean it isn't reasonable for the child to attend their school e.g. would have to travel on multiple modes of transport to get to the same school or day-care or the only option for the family is walking and this is not practical from the offered property.
• Client would have to take two trains and a bus ride to get to work which would result in the client giving up their employment.

• There are no health practitioner shortages in the area and the client can change health practitioner. The client doesn't have an ongoing health and disability condition but just doesn't want to change health practitioner.

• Client currently drives the children to school and this can continue from the offered property but they would have to travel a little further to the school and the client advises it is too much effort.
• There are no health or other reasons why the client cannot catch a train to work but instead chooses to drive. The move would take him further from work and he doesn't want to be stuck in traffic any longer.

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• Client has a protection order against someone living in close proximity to the property.
• Property has evidence of mould or dampness.
• Property is in a gang-affiliated neighbourhood, and the client has been a witness in a police investigation associated with the gang.
• Property is in a gang affiliated neighbourhood, and the client fears for the safety of themselves and their children.
• Client believes that the property was a previous drug house, and does not want people showing up at the property.
• Client is a recovering alcoholic and drug dependent, and the property has neighbours who are known to be "big party people" making offered property an unsafe physical environment.

• Client has decided that there are too many of a certain ethnicity in the area, and they will not move there.
• The property looked dark and didn't get enough sunshine, but there was no evidence of mould or dampness.
• The client advises the street is dangerous as there are boy racers. However, the housing provider advises that there are now speed bumps on the road.
• Client doesn't like the area, and doesn't specify a reason.

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• Known child sex offender is living in the proximity of the offered property, and there will be children living and/or regularly visiting the property.
• Property has been offered to a client for whom it would be inappropriate to live there (e.g. probation, child sex offenders, restraining orders against the client).

• Known child sex offender is living in the proximity of the offered property, but there will be no children living or regularly visiting the property.

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• The housing provider was unable to show the client the inside of the property as there were trades people working on the property.

• Client refused to look inside the property because they didn't like the outside colour of the property.

Examples of reasons considered good and sufficient

Examples of reasons unlikely to be considered good and sufficient

• Location of property impacts strongly on the beliefs and/or religious views of the client.
• Client is vegetarian and feels strongly about living next door to a butchery.
• Client feels strongly about living near a cell phone tower or power pylons.