News
All the latest breaking stories from the affordable housing sector.
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Housing staff face massive pension hikes
Thousands of housing employees face a contributions hike as fund deficit grows by £370 million
Landlords warn they can’t monitor 4m households
Landlords fear they will be forced to track the income of millions of tenants as part of controversial ‘pay to stay’ proposals for higher-earning households.
Landlords fear lenders could scupper green deal
Landlords fear the government’s flagship retrofit scheme could be derailed by lenders because it might reduce property values.
Concern grows as housing registrations drop by 20%
Builders and social landlords have expressed grave concerns over England’s growing housing shortfall after new figures revealed a continuing fall in house building numbers.
New regulator takes ‘holistic’ approach
The new social housing regulator has unveiled its approach to regulation.
‘Cost of regulating private landlords will be passed on to tenants’
Plans for tougher regulation of the private rented sector in Wales could force rents up, according to landlords.
‘Needs test all new tenants’
Housing providers should needs test all new tenants to provide better early intervention services, according to a new report.
Welsh councils could quit HRA by the end of 2012
Councils in Wales could be allowed to leave the unwieldy housing finance system by the end of this year, the Welsh housing minister has revealed.
Locality rule exemption to be restricted to rioting
Proposals to make it easier to evict tenants if they have been involved in criminal behaviour away from their homes will only apply if there has been a riot.
Merger could create 13,000-home northern giant
Two north-west housing associations have begun talks over a potential merger that would create a new group responsible for more than 13,500 homes.
Development
Concern grows as housing registrations drop by 20%
Builders and social landlords have expressed grave concerns over England’s growing housing shortfall after new figures revealed a continuing fall in house building numbers.
LSVT raids bond market for £225m
A stock transfer housing association has refinanced its entire debt pile after raiding the capital markets for £225 million.
Shapps: housing supply will not meet demand
Housing minister Grant Shapps has admitted developers will struggle to build the number of homes needed in England.
London mayor announces housing board members
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced the members of the board that will oversee his £3 billion housing budget for the capital.
Think tank calls for local cash to fund regeneration
Local authorities should be able to lead local regeneration with community budgets, according to a new report.
Birmingham rethinks approach to housing policy
The UK’s largest stock holding local authority has named its new cabinet – without a housing portfolio.
MPs to scrutinise work on homes for elderly people
Progress made into improving housing for older people in the past three years is to be scrutinised by an all-party parliamentary group.
Wales plans to end family homelessness
The Welsh Government has unveiled plans to end family homelessness by 2019 in its housing white paper published today.
Birmingham signs £6.7m affordable homes deal
Birmingham Council has become the third local authority – and first outside London – to sign its contract under the Homes and Communities Agency’s £1.8 billion affordable homes programme.
Peabody names winner of design competition
Architecture firm PCKO has won a competition to design a 150-home development for housing association Peabody.
Repairs
Landlords fear lenders could scupper green deal
Landlords fear the government’s flagship retrofit scheme could be derailed by lenders because it might reduce property values.
Southwark Council agrees to first self-financing TMO
A tenant management organisation in London is set to become the first to keep its rental receipts following council self-financing reforms.
Social landlords sign up with retrofit finance body
A host of social landlords have joined the Green Deal Finance Company which has now doubled its membership since it was incorporated in March.
Gateshead ALMO assesses gas explosion damage
Gateshead Council residents living next door to a flat where an explosion injured six people are waiting to see when they can move back to their homes.
Energy provider offers fuel poverty training
One of the UK’s leading energy suppliers is offering free training to housing association staff in combating fuel poverty.
Builder wins first stand-alone repairs deal
A house builder has won its first stand-alone social housing responsive repairs contract as it seeks to diversify its business.
Wales plans to end family homelessness
The Welsh Government has unveiled plans to end family homelessness by 2019 in its housing white paper published today.
Mitie's turnover increases 6%
Mitie has announced turnover of more than £2 billion and increased operating profit.
Landlords feel unprepared for the green deal
The majority of social landlords feel unprepared for the government’s flagship programme to carry out energy efficiency refurbishments of Britain’s housing, despite it kicking off in just five months’ time.
Kier on track following contract wins
Kier has reported it is on track to meet its 2012 expectations after securing more than £400 million of construction work over the past five months.
Tenancies
Landlords warn they can’t monitor 4m households
Landlords fear they will be forced to track the income of millions of tenants as part of controversial ‘pay to stay’ proposals for higher-earning households.
‘Cost of regulating private landlords will be passed on to tenants’
Plans for tougher regulation of the private rented sector in Wales could force rents up, according to landlords.
‘Needs test all new tenants’
Housing providers should needs test all new tenants to provide better early intervention services, according to a new report.
Welsh councils could quit HRA by the end of 2012
Councils in Wales could be allowed to leave the unwieldy housing finance system by the end of this year, the Welsh housing minister has revealed.
Locality rule exemption to be restricted to rioting
Proposals to make it easier to evict tenants if they have been involved in criminal behaviour away from their homes will only apply if there has been a riot.
Aberdeen suspends the right to buy for 10 years
A council in Scotland has agreed to suspend sales of its homes through right to buy for up to 10 years to safeguard its stock.
Government names universal credit pathfinder
Welfare reforms that will see a range of benefits lumped together into a single payment are to be introduced in Greater Manchester and Cheshire six months ahead of national roll out.
Direct payment could double rent arrears
Housing associations are anticipating rent arrears could double as a result of moves to pay housing welfare payments direct to tenants.
Freud under fire for bedroom tax ‘ruse’
Housing professionals have demanded the welfare minister ‘own up’ to the motivation for the government’s controversial bedroom tax.
Bournemouth Council plans allocations change
Bournemouth Council will decide today on whether to change its allocation policy to bring down the number of people on its waiting list.
Eco
Landlords fear lenders could scupper green deal
Landlords fear the government’s flagship retrofit scheme could be derailed by lenders because it might reduce property values.
Social landlords sign up with retrofit finance body
A host of social landlords have joined the Green Deal Finance Company which has now doubled its membership since it was incorporated in March.
Energy provider offers fuel poverty training
One of the UK’s leading energy suppliers is offering free training to housing association staff in combating fuel poverty.
Wales plans to end family homelessness
The Welsh Government has unveiled plans to end family homelessness by 2019 in its housing white paper published today.
Simplified green regulations proposed to cut build costs
Social housing developers in Northern Ireland could be allowed to abandon ‘complicated’ green building regulations in favour of a simpler system under plans to save money on building homes.
Landlords feel unprepared for the green deal
The majority of social landlords feel unprepared for the government’s flagship programme to carry out energy efficiency refurbishments of Britain’s housing, despite it kicking off in just five months’ time.
Report calls for new generation of garden cities
Local and national government should help to unlock land for a new generation of garden cities by reducing the risk for investors, according to a report published today.
Councils will need more green deal incentives
Additional incentives will be needed to encourage local authorities to adopt the green deal, according to a report commissioned by the government.
London mayor sets up procurement panel
Social landlords will be able to use a procurement panel set up by the Mayor of London.
Housing stalwart gets policy review brief
Housing stalwart and former Inside Housing columnist Jon Cruddas is to co-ordinate Labour’s policy review.
Finance
Housing staff face massive pension hikes
Thousands of housing employees face a contributions hike as fund deficit grows by £370 million
Landlords warn they can’t monitor 4m households
Landlords fear they will be forced to track the income of millions of tenants as part of controversial ‘pay to stay’ proposals for higher-earning households.
Landlords fear lenders could scupper green deal
Landlords fear the government’s flagship retrofit scheme could be derailed by lenders because it might reduce property values.
Concern grows as housing registrations drop by 20%
Builders and social landlords have expressed grave concerns over England’s growing housing shortfall after new figures revealed a continuing fall in house building numbers.
‘Cost of regulating private landlords will be passed on to tenants’
Plans for tougher regulation of the private rented sector in Wales could force rents up, according to landlords.
‘Needs test all new tenants’
Housing providers should needs test all new tenants to provide better early intervention services, according to a new report.
Welsh councils could quit HRA by the end of 2012
Councils in Wales could be allowed to leave the unwieldy housing finance system by the end of this year, the Welsh housing minister has revealed.
Aberdeen suspends the right to buy for 10 years
A council in Scotland has agreed to suspend sales of its homes through right to buy for up to 10 years to safeguard its stock.
LSVT raids bond market for £225m
A stock transfer housing association has refinanced its entire debt pile after raiding the capital markets for £225 million.
MP to continue fight against ‘legal loan sharks’
An MP campaigning for tougher controls on payday lending has vowed to take her fight to the House of Lords after MPs rejected her plans.
Legal
Landlords warn they can’t monitor 4m households
Landlords fear they will be forced to track the income of millions of tenants as part of controversial ‘pay to stay’ proposals for higher-earning households.
Welsh councils could quit HRA by the end of 2012
Councils in Wales could be allowed to leave the unwieldy housing finance system by the end of this year, the Welsh housing minister has revealed.
Locality rule exemption to be restricted to rioting
Proposals to make it easier to evict tenants if they have been involved in criminal behaviour away from their homes will only apply if there has been a riot.
Merger could create 13,000-home northern giant
Two north-west housing associations have begun talks over a potential merger that would create a new group responsible for more than 13,500 homes.
MP to continue fight against ‘legal loan sharks’
An MP campaigning for tougher controls on payday lending has vowed to take her fight to the House of Lords after MPs rejected her plans.
Government names universal credit pathfinder
Welfare reforms that will see a range of benefits lumped together into a single payment are to be introduced in Greater Manchester and Cheshire six months ahead of national roll out.
London mayor announces housing board members
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced the members of the board that will oversee his £3 billion housing budget for the capital.
Bournemouth Council plans allocations change
Bournemouth Council will decide today on whether to change its allocation policy to bring down the number of people on its waiting list.
Landlords concerned by anti-social behaviour plans
The government should not scrap an anti-social behaviour injunction until its replacement is proven, the National Housing Federation has warned.
Anti-social tenants face fast track evictions
Tenants will face fast track evictions if they or a member of their household has a previous conviction for anti-social behaviour, under plans announced today.
Care
‘Needs test all new tenants’
Housing providers should needs test all new tenants to provide better early intervention services, according to a new report.
MP to continue fight against ‘legal loan sharks’
An MP campaigning for tougher controls on payday lending has vowed to take her fight to the House of Lords after MPs rejected her plans.
Government names universal credit pathfinder
Welfare reforms that will see a range of benefits lumped together into a single payment are to be introduced in Greater Manchester and Cheshire six months ahead of national roll out.
Freud under fire for bedroom tax ‘ruse’
Housing professionals have demanded the welfare minister ‘own up’ to the motivation for the government’s controversial bedroom tax.
Rough sleeping figures rise by 73 per cent
The number of rough sleepers on the streets of London has risen significantly again, according to figures from a homelessness charity.
Scots seek to limit impact of UK welfare reforms
Scotland’s very own welfare reform bill will start its progress through the Scottish Parliament tomorrow.
MPs to scrutinise work on homes for elderly people
Progress made into improving housing for older people in the past three years is to be scrutinised by an all-party parliamentary group.
Wales plans to end family homelessness
The Welsh Government has unveiled plans to end family homelessness by 2019 in its housing white paper published today.
Councils cut free home care for older people
The number of older people who get their care fully paid for by their local authority has dropped by 11 per cent, according to research.
Housing benefit claims reach record level
The number of housing benefit claimants in the United Kingdom has broken the five million barrier for the first time.
Regulation
Housing staff face massive pension hikes
Thousands of housing employees face a contributions hike as fund deficit grows by £370 million
New regulator takes ‘holistic’ approach
The new social housing regulator has unveiled its approach to regulation.
Merger could create 13,000-home northern giant
Two north-west housing associations have begun talks over a potential merger that would create a new group responsible for more than 13,500 homes.
NIHE look for new chair and vice-chair
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive is looking for a new chair and vice-chair for its board.
London mayor announces housing board members
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced the members of the board that will oversee his £3 billion housing budget for the capital.
Birmingham rethinks approach to housing policy
The UK’s largest stock holding local authority has named its new cabinet – without a housing portfolio.
Helena loses £6m tax appeal
A stock transfer housing association has lost an Appeal Court case against a multimillion-pound tax bill.
Accreditation for landlords coming soon
The Welsh government will outline plans for compulsory registering of private landlords in a white paper on Monday.
Southern landlords plan 23,000 home merger
Two housing associations have announced they have begun merger talks in a move that would create one of the largest social landlords in the east of England.
Watchdog criticises lack of action on subletting
The government’s spending watchdog has criticised housing associations for not using a data matching system to identify homes that have been sublet unlawfully.
