Professional players

To pay or not to pay

Outsourcing model to fund new build

A new repairs outsourcing model has been developed that could increase the borrowing power of councils and finance new house building projects.

On the merger trail

The trend is growing for bigger housing associations to gobble up smaller landlords by merging. But does bigger always mean better? Carl Brown reports.

Meeting the minister

Is the housing sector political? When Rising Stars competition winner Carla Keegans spent a day shadowing housing minister Grant Shapps, she didn’t expect to be left questioning the purpose of her career.

Car dealer hit with fine over benefit fraud

A man who bought and sold cars worth up to £540,000 has been found guilty of benefit fraud after failing to declare money earned while trading.

Under the hammer

The old adage that one man’s treasure is another man’s trash is a saying which has paid dividends in auction houses across the world for years.

Acting with conviction

Squatting could soon be criminalised but awareness of current laws is crucial, says Sarah Lines, social housing lawyer at Cobbetts

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

Testing the limits

There’s little to be gained by taking proportionality arguments on evictions to court, says Jane Plant

Keeping tenants in mind

A recent ruling means landlords of supported living schemes could be denied benefit cash, says John Wearing, partner at Anthony Collins Solicitors