Welcome to Mendip's Housing pages.
Please choose from the A-Z list below.
Backdating Housing Benefit and or Council Tax Benefit means that we award benefit for a period before the date when you actually made your claim. To receive backdated benefit you must have good reasons for not making an earlier claim (e.g. a serious illness or a bereavement).
All forms currently available to download
Benefit changes in the last 12 months that may affect you and your claim
Mendip District Council administers both Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB). A brief description of HB and CTB and who may qualify for these benefits.
Even if you already have planning consent for your building project, you will almost certainly need Building Regulation consent before you can start work.
Built Environment is responsible for delivering various services within the District which significantly contributes to the corporate priorities.
Advice on Conservation Areas within the Mendip District Council area.
Since 1 December 1993 there are only limited occasions when taxpayers can challenge their Council Tax banding.
Common questions and answers regarding Council Tax.
Discounts on your council tax are available if only one person is living in the dwelling, or if the other people living there can be disregarded for council tax purposes.
How to Pay your Council Tax.
A quick guide to the details of your Council Tax bill and how you can pay it.
There are five main components to your council tax bill. These are the Special Expenses Rate and the Parish Charge which will both vary from one parish to another.
An outline guide to the laws and procedures that govern council tax.
The Valuation Office Agency give a "Banding Value" for each dwelling.
Application for Council Tax Discount - Apprentices
Application for a Council Tax Discount - Care Workers
Application for Council Tax Discount - Carers
Application for Council Tax Discounts - Empty Properties
Application for Council Tax Discount - Members of Religious Communities
Application for a Council Tax Discount - Persons in Detention
Appliaction for Councli Tax Discount - Reduction for Disability
Application for Council Tax Discount - Persons Resident in Hospitals/Homes/Hostels
Council Tax Discount - Self Contained Part of Property Occupied by a Dependant Relative
Application for Council Tax Discount - Severe Mental Impairment
Application for Council Tax Discount - Sole or Main Residence Questionnaire
Application for Council Tax Discount - Students
Application for a Council Tax Discount - Under 20s in Full Time Education
Application for Council Tax Discount - Youth Training Trainees
Council Tax can only be charged on a 'chargeable dwelling' (usually a building or part of a building used as a private residence), and there are rules to determine who is liable for the payment.
If you currently receive Housing Benefit and or Council Tax Benefit and there is a change in any of your personal circumstances, you must let us know as soon as possible.
Grants are available to help people to carry out repairs to their property, or to provide disabled adaptations if you are registered disabled. All grants are means tested.
Discretionary Housing Payments are designed to help Housing and Council Tax Benefit claimants who require further financial help with their housing costs.
Energy saving advice and initiatives for households in the Mendip area.
Information about facilities and services for homeless people.
Discretionary grants associated with the repair of historic buildings and areas.
Mendip District Council can offer advice and assistance to help you if you are homeless or about to lose your home.
Responding to complaints concerning the conditions of tenanted properties, in relation to the new Housing Health & Safety Rating System under The Housing Act 2004 (this replaces the old “unfitness” standard).
Promoting and enabling the development of new and refurbished properties in order to provide affordable housing.
Empty properties are a wasted resource. Bringing empty properties back into use features as a key priority in Mendip District Council's Housing Strategy. Demand for affordable good quality housing in the District remains high.
Advice to tenants and landlords in the private sector on housing related matters.
Grants are available to help people to carry out repairs to their property, or to provide disabled adaptations if you are registered disabled. All grants are means tested.
An applicant who has been refused a place on the housing register, who is unhappy with their allocation of housing points or who has been suspended from the waiting list can ask the local authority to review their decision. The authority should publish details of their appeals procedure.
Mendip District Council private sector letting scheme
The 2004 Housing Act introduces the licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
A local authority may be able to provide help and advice to existing private tenants who may be a victim of harassment, illegal eviction or experiencing trouble or issues with their landlord
New Build Homebuy, formerly Shared Ownership, in Mendip.
Mendip District Council maintains a Common Housing Register and this is a list of applicants requesting Social Housing and Low Cost Home Ownership Products. The administration of the Common Housing Register is undertaken by the Homeless and Housing Advice Team within Housing Regeneration. We are on target to implement a Choice Based Lettings System by the end of 2008 when we will revise our service standards to reflect the new service.
Development of Affordable Housing – working with Registered Social Landlords, Private Sector Landlords and the Housing Corporation to deliver good quality affordable housing for local people in the Mendip area who cannot afford market prices.
The Private Sector Housing Team and other officers at the Council offer Domestic Energy Efficiency advice across all tenures in Mendip regarding loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and heating systems. We also provide information on a variety of local grant availability and criteria as well as dealing with any complaints concerning local energy efficiency grant installations and schemes.
The services of the private sector team are critical in tackling housing affordability and homelessness. We have developed a range of standards for our service which will help you to know what you can expect from us and whether we are performing to your expectations. These standards also help the council to measure its own performance and to make improvements.
The homeless and housing advice team provides services to those in housing need.
The services of the private sector team are critical in delivering the councils priority for greater prosperity in tackling housing affordability and homelessness. We have developed a range of standards for our service which will help you to know what you can expect from us and whether we are performing to your expectations. These standards also help the council to measure its own performance and to make improvements.
Mendip has introduced the following accreditation scheme to help Private Sector landlords to provide accommodation that fully complies with current Housing legislation, including the Housing Act 1985, Management Regulations and Decent Homes policy.
Buildings which represent the best of the nation's historic and architectural built heritage are Listed by the Department of Culture Media and Sport under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, on advice from English Heritage. Listed buildings are a finite and irreplaceable asset. The District Council has a statutory duty to ensure that Listed Buildings, their settings and any features of special architectural or historic interest which they possess are preserved.
We are now working on the Local Development Framework (LDF) one of the key plans which will guide change in Mendip over the next 20 years.
You can claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit if you are on Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance, or if you are on a low income (this includes people who are self employed)
When a claimant's circumstances change, it could result in an overpayment, in which case we must actively seek to recover.
The planning system controls land development and usage. Use our Planning Applications Search facility to find out about planning applications.
If you have a large item such as a piece of furniture or a fridge that you wish to dispose of we offer a Bulky Collection Service at a charge.
The Council provides a clinical waste collection to private households.
The garden waste collection service is available to all properties across Mendip.
Handling of hazardous waste
Where to find your local household waste recycling centre.
The Council is now offering 100% recycling coverage for all domestic properties in the district
If your kerbside box or foodwaste caddy has been lost, stolen or you believe that you should have one please inform us by using the contact details below. (Your new box will be delivered to you on your next collection day).
Details about the food waste collection service operated accross the district
Mendip District Council currently collects glass bottles and jars, newspaper and magazines, aluminium foil, food and drinks cans, shoes, textiles, yellow pages, car batteries and food waste via the kerbside recycling scheme.
We maintain and repair all fences and walls under our ownership.
As part of the Government's Housing Benefit Reform the Council is no longer required to issue renewal claim forms.
The five Local Councils within Somerset have undertaken a joint Homelessness Strategy to cover the period 2008 - 2011
Social housing vacancies in Mendip are now let through the Homefinder Somerset choice based lettings scheme.