Tenancies

Trustees’ policy on letting houses on the Brondanw Estate

Liaison arrangements between the trustees, the managing agents and the tenants

1. Background
The Foundation as a charity is obliged by the Charities Act to make best use of the funds available to it. The Foundation’s Constitution sets out it’s charitable objects which include the following:~

To promote the preservation of lands of beauty or historic, ecological or other scientific interest and generally to protect preserve and improve the natural aspect, character, environment, biodiversity and amenities of the Area;

To promote responsible public access to the countryside, the provision of routes and ways therefor and the preservation of footpaths, commons and waste lands;

To promote the preservation and rehabilitation of gardens and designed landscapes which are of national, historic or artistic interest and public access to and enjoyment of such gardens and landscapes;

To promote the preservation and restoration of buildings which are of national, historic, architectural or artistic interest and public access to and enjoyment of such buildings and to augment the amenities of such buildings and their built and natural surroundings;

To promote the conservation of the rural landscape (including the preservation and restoration of structures and sites which form part of that landscape and are of historic architectural or artistic interest or amenity value), the conservation of flora and fauna, sustainable methods of agriculture, forestry and other enterprises which support such conservation, and research into the same and the publication of the useful results; and

To promote study and education particularly in fields of relevance to the Area such as local history, Welsh culture, ecology and the geological, biological and kindred sciences and research into the same and the publication of the useful results.

2. Introduction
The Trustees own some 50 residential units located in and around Llanfrothen and the Croesor Valley. This does not include Portmeirion.

The Foundation seeks to advance its conservation objects in the area through its house letting policies which aim to:

• Safeguard the buildings by keeping them occupied and in good repair;
• Find tenants keen to make a contribution to the community and with skills enabling them to support the Charity’s aims in the area;
• Retain people (including young people) in the area; and
• Maintain the linguistic pattern.

3. Trustees Policy on Letting Cottages
At the Brondanw Estate, where there are established communities with historic connections with the Estate, special policies are adopted to ensure, wherever possible, that local people can continue to live there.

Generally, there is a great demand for the houses on the Brondanw Estate and in order to keep a record of those interested, a waiting list is kept. Application forms are available from Balfours.

Usually when letting houses, the Managing Agents will refer to the waiting list and or advertise the property locally both in newspapers and on To Let boards. The actual selection of tenants is done by the Managing Agents in consultation with the local Trustees. The following factors are taken into account before applying the sequential approach set out at the end:~

1. Any connection with the Estate, e.g. son or daughter of an existing tenant or a local person moving back to the area after college or working away.
2. The need to relocate existing tenants on the Estate who would like to move to a larger or smaller house for practical reasons.
3. Contribution and involvement by the applicant and family in the communities of Llanfrothen and Croesor.
4. Those people on the waiting list who have family living on the Estate or in the valley.
5. Those people on the waiting list who have family connections with the Estate or the valley.
6. The Trustees’ policy of trying to encourage employed or self-employed people to apply.
7. The ability of the person to pay the rent, the running costs of the property and the cost of the tenant’s repairs, etc. (Financial references are usually required to confirm this.)
8. The suitability of the house for the needs of the tenants and family, ie. size, garage, garden, etc.
9. The need for tenants to be sympathetic to the Trustees’ aims to preserve the character of the property.

The standard procedure is for a sequential approach to be undertaken as follows:

• Local and Welsh-speaking
• Local connection and Welsh-speaking
• Welsh-speaking but without local connections
• Local but non Welsh-speaking
• Local connections but non Welsh-speaking
• Anyone else not falling into the above categories but who in the opinion of the local Trustees would make a good tenant and fully integrate into the local community.

‘Local’ is a person who has lived continuously in the area of the Estate or within 5 miles of its boundaries for at least five years.

Download: Letting Policy Brondanw Estate

Some years’ ago the Trustees recognised the disconnect between those who were out of work and receiving benefits versus those in employment, but on low salaries and thus ineligible for help from the Local Authority. The Trustees felt that the latter cohort were disadvantaged and as such they set up their own innovative Rent Rebate Scheme. The scheme is administered by the Local Authority, Gwynedd Council on behalf of the Trustees in conjunction with the Trustees’ agents. The reason for involving Gwynedd Council is to ensure total impartiality. The scheme offers eligible tenants a rebate on their rent of up to £20 per week.

For tenancy selection and rent rebate:
To apply for a tenancy of one of the Brondanw Estate properties, or for further information about the Estate’s Rent Rebate Scheme, please contact Frances Steer or Richard Jones-Perrott at Balfours.

Frances Steer: francessteer@balfours.co.uk

Richard Jones-Perrott: richardjones-perrott@balfours.co.uk

Telephone: 01743 241181.