Programme Management - Scheme Administration

4 Scheme Administration

4.1 General

4.1.1 This section applies to all schemes being developed as permanent housing for rent and sale.

4.1.2 There are 5 key events (Milestones) in processing the scheme:

Acquisition
Detailed Planning permission
Start on Site
Final Cost (Practical Completion)
Occupancy.

For RSLs, two of these five Milestones trigger a Grant claim (Start on Site and Practical Completion)

For Open Market HomeBuy schemes there is one Milestone: Exchange of Contracts

4.2 HomeBuy Agents

4.2.1 RSLs offering New Build HomeBuy units must work collaboratively with HomeBuy Agents to provide HomeBuy opportunities to households in accordance with regional and local priorities. Developing RSLs must enter into and sign up to the Service Level Agreement with the HomeBuy Agents that operate in the localities where they are developing.

4.3 Variations

4.3.1 For details on the Requirements on scheme Variations, see section 6.

4.4 Submission Requirements

4.4.1 The scheme submission must comply with the Funding Conditions (see Finance Section 2 ) as accepted by the RSL’s Committee and confirmed on line by the RSL’s Security Administrator at the beginning of the financial year.

Key Worker Living schemes: The funding conditions must set out:

Grant allocation and key worker categories eligible for assistance in each financial year; and
Financial information:
- Total IMR requirement by financial year and in total;
- Total administration cost by financial year and in total;
- Total SHG payable;
- Additional contribution from RSL (if any);
- Additional contribution from employer/other (if any).

4.4.2 The RSL must submit the required information on to the Agency's Programme Investment Management System (IMS) prior to claiming Grant. For details see www.housingcorp-online.gov

4.4.3 The RSL will not be able to submit a scheme where the data input differs from the information provided by the RSL at Bid stage; only the Agency can make the changes to the allocation in order for the RSL to Allocation Match and submit the scheme in IMS. The Agency may require a revised bid submission from the RSL before this can be done.

4.4.4 RSLs must submit the following data in relation to the milestones to be met onto the Agency IMS following confirmation of their allocation. (see IMS guidance at www.housingcorp-online.org)

Planning Permission expected/ granted
Exchange of Contracts (for EOMHB)
Acquisition of Land
Start on site date
Final Cost (Practical Completion)
Occupancy .

4.4.5 The RSL must be able to confirm acceptance of the on-screen certifications.

4.4.6 Detailed guidance on how to input this data on to IMS is given as on-line help on www.housingcorp-online.org

4.4.7 Where a charge is to be given to secure finance from a private lender, RSLs will need s.9 consent. An RSL should apply on form HACON 6, version 4 (see Housing Corporation Circular 01/08), to its nominated financial analyst at the Agency field office.

4.4.8 KWL Delivery Plans

Investment regions will require RSLs with significant KWL funding to draw up and agree delivery plans specifying the funding to be spent in each zone on each key worker group.

4.5 Scheme Cost Information

4.5.1 The Agency collects scheme costs information, broken down into:

Acquisition cost
Building works cost
On-costs.

4.5.2 The RSL must ensure that the declared Works costs does not include any:

design fees;
planning and building regulation charges;
structural warranty/NHBC fees;
minor pre-tender works.

4.5.3 RSLs must take particular care on to accurately declare the Works figure for a scheme when using Design & Build contracts, as the Contract Sum will include various fees as well as the Works. These fees must be disaggregated and included in the On-cost figure, not the Works figure.

4.5.4 The RSL must retain supporting documents on file for compliance audit.

4.6 Phased schemes