At the crossroads

Borrowing rates set for councils to buy freedom

The rates of interest councils must pay on the loans they use to buy their way out of the housing revenue account subsidy system have been set.

The great divide

Sky-high chief executive salaries divide society and take the UK back to Victorian levels of inequality

Affordable rents – doublethink in action

Councillors doubt HRA reform will boost building

Local authority leaders have questioned whether the dismantling of the housing revenue account subsidy system will allow councils to start building large numbers of homes.

Finance supplement 2012

With major changes afoot for councils and housing associations, we take a look at the shifting financial landscape

Uncertain times for tenants

Co-operatives need clarification over tenure regime for members, says Brynmor Adams, barrister at Five Paper

No trouble

The government is drawing up new measures to streamline approaches to anti-social behaviour. ASB advisor Chris Grose answers your questions about how they might work

Calling in the movers

The ‘bedroom tax’ is meant to encourage tenants to downsize if they are under-occupying their homes. But, especially in the north of England, social landlords say there are simply not enough smaller houses and flats to move tenants into.

Utopia revisited

As David Cameron seeks to revive the principles of garden cities with a consultation due later this year, Colin Wiles examines how likely it is that his vision will come to fruition

Stuck in the mud

Despite the Localism Act being passed, the role LEPs can play in housing remains uncertain, says Liz Jenkins, partner, and Laura Coates, trainee, at Clyde & Co