In the line of fire

A burning issue

In the wake of several tragic fatalities, an Inside Housing investigation reveals social landlords are receiving fire safety enforcement notices at a rate of one a week. Martin Hilditch finds out what is going wrong

Sounding the alarm

New fire safety guidance is helping social landlords ensure their properties are as safe as possible. Here, Chloë Stothart finds out what they should do to minimise the risk of a blaze and how much it costs

Housing officer in jail threat over ant infestation

One of the England’s highest paid housing officers is being threatened with jail for contempt of court for allegedly failing to carry out agreed pest control work on a tenant’s home.

Government paper says squatting ban could raise homelessness

Proposals to criminalise squatting could increase homelessness and put pressure on the police and council housing departments, the government’s impact assessment of its policy has said.

Computer trouble

Cause for concern

A recent security breach highlights why social housing providers should consider how they handle data, say legal experts Alison Deighton and Amy Carswell

Nest egg necessities

Social landlords have just a year to prepare for pension reforms. Chris Crichton, solicitor at TLT Solicitors, explains more

Don’t be partners in crime

Landlords must review their anti-corruption procedures and that of their partners or risk a large fine, says Kerry Gwyther, partner at TLT Solicitors

Pie in the sky?

Is cloud computing a ray of light or a gathering storm? Alison Deighton, data protection expert at law firm TLT, takes up the case

Getting up to speed

With little progress on calls for an exemption, developing social landlords need to be aware of new procurement rules, says Bill Hull