Carr-Gomm merger call

Organisations shortlisted for council house management

A shortlist of housing organisations has been invited to submit tenders for the management of 5,600 council-owned homes in Cheshire.

Landlords: cuts will affect service standards

More than a fifth of social landlords think they will be forced to lower service standards as a result of government spending cuts.

The gospel according to Matthew

On Monday, Matthew Bailes takes charge of regulation at the Homes and Communities Agency as the Tenant Services Authority shuts its doors for good. Martin Hilditch meets the self-confessed career civil servant to find out what’s in store.

Sector leaders warn of house building crisis

Figures on affordable housing starts published this week have been described as a ‘disaster’ and ‘alarmingly low’ by social landlords.

'Housing crisis that shames a nation'

Reasons for rejection

Housing associations can face legal challenges if they don’t give clear reasons for rejecting tender bids. Public procurement specialist Bill Hull explains

No magic solution

Proposals to make it easier to evict anti-social tenants are unlikely to work, says Angela Jack, barrister at Five Paper

Tread warily

The transfer of all privately owned sewers to water companies creates a minefield for developers, writes James Menzies

Dangerous type

The demotion of a housing employee over comments he made on Facebook highlights the grey area between employees’ public and private lives. Here, Lydia Stockdale finds out how others can avoid getting themselves into trouble

Look closely

Don’t sign on the dotted line before checking contracts carefully for errors, says Matthew Lake