Thursday, 09 February 2012

Inside Housing
25/06/2010

View all stories from this issue.

  • £1.8m Glasgow ‘slum’ pledge

    25/06/2010

    The Scottish Government has pledged £1.8 million to regenerate an area of Glasgow likened to a slum.

  • Abolition of FSA will hit landlords

    25/06/2010

    A new body will take over responsibility for the registration of housing associations and their accounts, following the announcement that the Financial Services Authority will be abolished.

  • Academic chosen as CIH president

    30/06/2010

    Irish academic Paddy Gray has been elected as the new president of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

  • Affinity Sutton launches £1.2 million retrofit pilot

    25/06/2010

    Affinity Sutton has launched a £1.2 million pilot project to find out if the government has underestimated the amount of money needed to make the UK’s houses fully sustainable.

  • Benefit burden

    25/06/2010

    ‘A spiral of debt, eviction and homelessness’ is what many poorer people face as a result of Tuesday’s emergency Budget, according to Campbell Robb, chief executive of homelessness charity Shelter.

  • Benefit reforms threaten Westminster families

    29/06/2010

    The majority of families on housing benefit in Westminster will lose their homes under proposed welfare reforms, councillors have warned.

  • Block faces demolition despite fire investment

    29/06/2010

    Nottingham council is to move tenants out of a 15-storey tower block after spending a quarter of a million pounds on fire safety at the building.

  • Broadland is still financially robust

    25/06/2010

    I write in response to the article entitled ‘Duo slip from TSA standards’ (Inside Housing, 11 June) which reported the latest regulatory judgement made by the Tenant Services Authority of Broadland Housing Association. This judgement suggested, inappropriately in our view, that the association’s finances are vulnerable to deterioration.

  • Budget fears halve Connaught's share price

    28/06/2010

    Connaught’s share price has halved following a profit warning issued on Friday.

  • Caution urged on regulatory review

    30/06/2010

    The leaders of prominent housing sector bodies have urged the government not to sweep aside good work done on regulation along with the Tenant Services Authority.

  • CLG budget faces 25 per cent drop

    25/06/2010

    Housing providers fear that the sector could bear the brunt of £61 billion worth of spending cuts to government departments by 2014/15.

  • Communities to get power to build homes

    30/06/2010

    Plans to give communities the power to build homes without planning permission will be included in legislation to go before Parliament this autumn.

  • Construction and development

    25/06/2010

    Our annual survey of the top 50 developing housing associations kicks off our construction and development special.

  • Councils show need for Gypsy and Traveller sites

    29/06/2010

    Councils in Dorset are preparing a document showing the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites, after funding for pitches was withdrawn.

  • Crawley improves its housing services

    05/07/2010

    Inspectors have praised Crawley Borough Council for improving its housing services.

  • Death of a watchdog

    25/06/2010

    Less than three months after its regulatory framework came into effect, the Tenant Services Authority is to become one of the first casualties of the coalition government. Grant Shapps’ decision has left staff reeling but what will it mean for the tenants it was set up to protect? Isabel Hardman investigates

  • Don’t wait and see

    28/06/2010

    Rather than cutting back, local authorities and housing associations need to get busy and get creative if they are going be anywhere near hitting their targets for new affordable homes.

  • Empty home owners to pay full rates

    01/07/2010

    Empty homes in Northern Ireland will be subject to the same rates as occupied homes from next autumn, the finance minister has announced.

  • Energy minister outlines retrofit scheme

    25/06/2010

    The energy and climate change secretary has unveiled a ‘green deal’ to retrofit the UK’s existing housing stock.

  • Evicted tenant leaves behind 20 tarantulas

    01/07/2010

    A housing association has found 20 tarantulas in the home of an evicted tenant.

  • Fifty biggest developers to build 6,000 fewer homes

    25/06/2010

    The 50 biggest developing housing associations plan to build nearly 6,000 fewer homes between them in 2010 than the previous year.

  • Gang warfare

    25/06/2010

    Gang membership clause in tenancy agreements will fight the problem head-on

  • Government axes housing advice unit

    29/06/2010

    The government is closing the organisation set up to give it advice on how to improve the affordability of housing.

  • Government considers ombudsman merger

    25/06/2010

    The government is considering merging the Housing Ombudsman Service with the local government ombudsman.

  • House prices up 3% since January

    30/06/2010

    House prices rose slightly in June but the annual increase has fallen, according to Nationwide.

  • Housing associations back independent regulation

    28/06/2010

    Housing associations are calling on the government to ensure regulation of the sector remains independent after the Tenant Services Authority is scrapped.

  • Housing benefit cuts slammed by sector

    25/06/2010

    Government plans to dock housing benefit from the long-term unemployed have been slammed as ‘nasty’ by tenants’ groups.

  • IHTV episode 5

    25/06/2010

    The final part of the IHTV footage from Harrogate 2010

  • In video: Grant Shapps' Harrogate speech

    25/06/2010

    The housing minister on the future of the Tenant Services Authority, the Homes and Communities Agency, and his vision for the sector as a whole.

  • In video: simulating success

    25/06/2010

    See ACT-UK’s construction training simulator in action.

  • Inside Housing wins ‘Oscar’

    25/06/2010

    Inside Housing has triumphed at the journalism equivalent of the Oscars, the Periodical Publishers Association awards.

  • Land Registry finds house prices are falling

    29/06/2010

    The Land Registry has reported house prices fell 0.2 per cent in May.

  • Landlords to raise £1 billion fund

    25/06/2010

    A2Dominion is planning to launch six funds worth a total of around £1 billion to invest in building up to 6,000 private rented sector homes.

  • Luton association to join Aldwyck

    30/06/2010

    Bedfordshire housing association Luton Community Housing is to join Aldwyck Housing group.

  • Making a connection

    25/06/2010

    Anti-development groups have used the power of social networking sites to garner local support. Now developers are getting in on the act to promote their schemes and engage the communities set to have more say over planning decisions. Neil Merrick investigates

  • Movers & shakers

    25/06/2010

    Estate agent Sequence has appointed Sara Allen as manager for affordable housing and diocese estates.

  • New social homes registration up by 39%

    25/06/2010

    A total of 11,474 new social homes were registered in the three months to May 2010, an increase of 39 per cent on the same period last year.

  • No home, no job –no hope?

    25/06/2010

    After the cuts in this week’s emergency Budget, homeless unemployed people face an even bigger struggle

  • Not all legal jobs need a lawyer

    25/06/2010

    Social Landlords wanting to save money on legal services too often ask the wrong questions. A frequent mistake is to think they need a lawyer in the first place.

  • Notting Hill in Acas talks

    25/06/2010

    A housing association where staff went on strike over terms and conditions is holding talks with a trade union through arbitration service Acas.

  • Ombudsman fears removal of lifetime tenancies

    28/06/2010

    The housing ombudsman fears tenants will be frightened to complain if security of tenure is taken away.

  • Opposition in the house

    25/06/2010

    As the fight for the Labour Party leadership hots up, bookies’ favourite David Miliband tells Inside Housing he’ll make housing a top priority if he wins, while Lydia Stockdale rates the contenders’ housing credentials.

  • Partnership means prizes

    25/06/2010

    Derbyshire Dales Council works with six housing associations to deliver an impressive number of new homes each year. Lydia Stockdale finds out how the award-winning team does it

  • Passive gains

    29/06/2010

    Is optimising the design of a building the best way to meet carbon reduction goals, asks Steve Cowan, senior sustainability consultant for Buro Happold.

  • PFI costs spiral after funds agreed

    25/06/2010

    The majority of signed-off housing public finance initiative projects have suffered significant cost increases and all have been delayed, according to a National Audit Office report.

  • Play by the rules

    25/06/2010

    Social landlords can advise tenants on money issues but must follow guidelines from the financial regulator, says Miguel Pereira

  • Private property

    25/06/2010

    The news that A2Dominion and Great Places Housing Group are bidding to be the first to make the dream of institutional funds being used to build private rented sector housing is to be applauded.

  • Private tenants turn to debt helpline

    01/07/2010

    A charity helpline for people in debt has seen a dramatic rise in people in private rented accommodation seeking help with eviction.

  • Qatari Diar loses Chelsea Barracks case

    30/06/2010

    A developer of London’s Chelsea Barracks has won a High Court battle against the Qatari Diar development company following the withdrawal of a planning application for the £3 billion scheme.

  • Recruitment by ‘speed dating’

    25/06/2010

    I have recently been invited to declare my candidacy for a post at a gateway community housing association, which includes attending a speed dating-style recruitment event [involving tenants].

  • Replacements sought for regional bodies

    30/06/2010

    The government has written to local authorities and business leaders inviting them to form partnerships to replace regional development agencies.

  • Shapps confirms plans to scrap TSA

    24/06/2010

    The housing minister has confirmed he plans to abolish the Tenant Services Authority.

  • Shapps knocked back on plans to scrap TSA

    01/07/2010

    The housing minister has been forced to put his plans to scrap the Tenant Services Authority on hold after he failed to obtain clearance from the Cabinet Office.

  • Share and share alike

    25/06/2010

    There are more and more products aimed at helping first-time buyers onto the housing ladder. Keith Cooper investigates why house builders are trying to grab their share of the market

  • Simulating success

    25/06/2010

    A Dutch-inspired simulation centre is taking construction training to new levels. Lydia Stockdale pays ACT-UK a visit to find out what it takes to succeed onsite

  • Staff cuts at ALMO that axed entire board in chief exec row

    25/06/2010

    An arm’s-length management organisation which saw its entire board axed last month is planning to make up to 32 members of its staff redundant.

  • Study to assess need for family-sized homes

    05/07/2010

    An investigation is to be launched into whether building more family-sized homes and fewer flats will reduce overcrowding in the capital.

  • Supply rise fails to cut house prices

    28/06/2010

    Housing supply has outstripped demand over the last four months but the trend is failing to reduce prices, according to Hometrack.

  • Taylor Wimpey fears social housing cuts

    30/06/2010

    Taylor Wimpey has reported it has a strong order book but is concerned about the impact of potential social housing grant reductions on the construction of new housing.

  • The fraud files

    25/06/2010

    Local authorities must share data to fight fraud and save millions, says Andrew Gillett, partner and head of casualty fraud, Weightmans

  • The green, green grass of home

    25/06/2010

    Television presenter Kevin McCloud has come up with a Grand Design of his own - to build a sustainable housing project that could work anywhere. Nick Duxbury joins him onsite to find out more.

  • Things can only get bitter

    25/06/2010

    As the new coalition government makes cuts to housing investment are they really looking at the bigger picture, asks John Cruddas

  • Time to derail the gravy train?

    25/06/2010

    I was struck by a couple of adverts for top staff in your appointments section this week (11 June). First, £130,000 for the chief executive of a doubtless high-stress area based at Tunbridge Wells, for a ‘housing group with over 8,000 properties’.

  • Top 50 developers 2010

    25/06/2010

    We kick off our construction and development special with our exclusive annual survey of the top 50 developing housing associations. The results paint a picture of relative stability but is it the calm before the storm? Chris Bazlinton reports

  • Tory councillor suspended from party

    29/06/2010

    A Conservative councillor responsible for housing has been suspended from the national party amid allegations about his conduct.

  • Treasury covers £140m of housing pledge

    25/06/2010

    The Treasury will honour some of the spending commitments made in Labour’s housing pledge, even though the funding was never allocated.

  • Uncertain times

    29/06/2010

    Katherine Evans, partner at law firm TLT, examines how changes in planning are affecting the social housing sector

  • VAT rise to hit associations hard

    25/06/2010

    The housing association sector will see its tax bill rise by millions of pounds following an increase in VAT announced in Tuesday’s emergency Budget.

  • Waiting game

    25/06/2010

    How does the Homes and Communities Agency prepare for the future when its funding is uncertain? With patience, the organisation’s chief executive Sir Bob Kerslake tells Carl Brown.

  • Welsh face restrictions on right to buy powers

    28/06/2010

    The Welsh Assembly Government has been forced to water down a bid for increased legal powers over housing.

  • Where is housing’s white knight?

    25/06/2010

    As social landlords struggle to house the growing number of people who cannot afford to buy their own home - and with state coffers all but empty - they are increasingly looking to the private rented sector to ride to their rescue. Nick Duxbury investigates why it is taking so long.