Inside Housing
Tom Lloyd Editorial
I’m a deputy editor on Inside Housing responsible for our website, and other online activity. I write about most housing issues, but take a particular interest in housing management, policy development, and sustainability. Twitter: twitter.com/TomLloydIH
Stories by this author.
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Payday loan firms agree to tougher controls
25/05/2012
Trade associations representing payday loan companies have agreed to strengthen their codes of practice around consumer protection following criticism from MPs.
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DECC cuts penalty for multiple solar schemes
25/05/2012
Housing providers who install photovoltaic panels could be in line for higher than expected payments following changes to government plans.
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Locality rule exemption to be restricted to rioting
24/05/2012
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.
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MP to continue fight against ‘legal loan sharks’
24/05/2012
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.
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Government names universal credit pathfinder
24/05/2012
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.
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Direct payment could double rent arrears
23/05/2012
Housing associations are anticipating rent arrears could double as a result of moves to pay housing welfare payments direct to tenants.
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Freud under fire for bedroom tax ‘ruse’
23/05/2012
Housing professionals have demanded the welfare minister ‘own up’ to the motivation for the government’s controversial bedroom tax.
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Energy provider offers fuel poverty training
22/05/2012
One of the UK’s leading energy suppliers is offering free training to housing association staff in combating fuel poverty.
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Ministers to set out anti-social behaviour plans
22/05/2012
Plans to give communities more power to address anti-social behaviour are to be set out later today.
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ALMO offers tenants £29k to buy homes
21/05/2012
An arm’s-length management organisation is looking to free up council homes by offering tenants cash to buy themselves another property.
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Government to propose £60,000 ‘pay to stay’ limit
21/05/2012
Plans to charge social tenants on high incomes more rent look set to be introduced at a lower than anticipated threshold of £60,000.
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Peabody names winner of design competition
18/05/2012
Architecture firm PCKO has won a competition to design a 150-home development for housing association Peabody.
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Construction summit seeks house building gains
18/05/2012
The government is seeking to reduce the cost of building social housing by 20 per cent by improving the efficiency of the construction process.
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Southern landlords plan 23,000 home merger
17/05/2012
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.
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Watchdog criticises lack of action on subletting
17/05/2012
The government’s spending watchdog has criticised housing associations for not using a data matching system to identify homes that have been sublet unlawfully.
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Report calls for new generation of garden cities
17/05/2012
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.
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Councils will need more green deal incentives
17/05/2012
Additional incentives will be needed to encourage local authorities to adopt the green deal, according to a report commissioned by the government.
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Bovis expects profit rise after strong start to 2012
16/05/2012
House builder Bovis Homes is predicting increased completions and higher profits for 2012 after a strong start to the year.
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Accord appoints Lovell for £50m repairs contract
16/05/2012
Midlands-based housing association Accord has awarded a £50 million repairs contract to Lovell.
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British housing is ‘cramped and poorly planned’
16/05/2012
Much British housing is cramped and fails to meet the needs of its occupants, a study has found.
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Councils get more time to spend right to buy cash
15/05/2012
The government has relaxed rules on how councils must reinvest money from the reinvigorated right to buy following criticism.
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Police confirm Derby house fire was deliberate
15/05/2012
Police have confirmed that a fire at a council-owned property in Derby that killed six children appears to have been started on purpose.
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Leading Tory council unveils allocation plans
14/05/2012
A flagship Conservative council has published its plans for overhauling how its housing is allocated.
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Councils seek partner for green deal roll out
14/05/2012
A group of local authorities in north east England is looking for a delivery partner to help it take advantage of the government’s green deal energy efficiency scheme.
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Housing association to lead £196m estate overhaul
11/05/2012
Ealing Council has chosen a housing association for the £196 million regeneration of the Havelock Estate in Southall.
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PM under pressure to boost green deal incentives
10/05/2012
Officials preparing a briefing for the prime minister on the government’s green deal energy efficiency scheme have been urged to consider further incentives to encourage take up.
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Barratt ups building goal after strong start to 2012
10/05/2012
Barratt Developments has increased its forecast for the number of homes it will build this year following a strong start to 2012.
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Builder reports growing interest in housing market
09/05/2012
Galliford Try has reported that buyers are returning to the housing market and mortgage availability appears to be improving.
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More public land to be sold for house building
08/05/2012
The government has pledged to make more public land available for house building after identifying enough sites to meet its initial 100,000 home goal.
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Housing market slows as economic fears grow
08/05/2012
Surveyors have revised their housing market expectations to predict further price falls after a brief spell of optimism last month.
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Care groups demand overhaul of support system
08/05/2012
Groups working to support elderly and disabled people have come together to urge the prime minister to overhaul social care.
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Labour fends off SNP housing challenge in Glasgow
06/05/2012
Labour has retained overall control of Glasgow Council despite a Scottish National Party challenge that emphasised the housing problems in the city.
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Boris wins second term as mayor of London
04/05/2012
Boris Johnson has won the London mayoral election after a close run fight with Labour’s Ken Livingstone.
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Liverpool mayor promises to address housing need
04/05/2012
The newly elected mayor of Liverpool has promised to deliver housing for the city.
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Labour wins control of key councils
04/05/2012
The Labour Party has gained control of key councils across England in local elections held yesterday.
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Community groups could get extra green deal cash
03/05/2012
Groups of tenants who sign up for work to improve the energy efficiency of their homes could get cash payments from the government.
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Contractor reports 'solid start' to 2012
03/05/2012
Morgan Sindall has reported a ‘solid start’ to the year, ahead of its annual general meeting today.
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Tenant to be evicted for behaviour of partner
02/05/2012
A housing association has won a possession order against a tenant as a result of crimes and anti-social behaviour committed by her partner.
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Interest rate rises spark repossession fears
02/05/2012
Eleven per cent of mortgage holders would be at risk of losing their home if repayments increased by £100 a month, according to research released to coincide with a wave of interest rate rises.
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Squatting criminalised as legal aid bill becomes law
02/05/2012
Plans to criminalise squatting and restrict access to legal aid for all but the most serious housing cases have become law.
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Poll finds support for Livingstone's housing plans
02/05/2012
Ken Livingstone is the London mayoral candidate who offers most to the housing sector, according to an online poll.
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Duncan Smith opposes Osborne’s £10bn welfare cut
30/04/2012
The work and pensions secretary has suggested £10 billion of further welfare cuts threatened by the chancellor would be opposed by his department.
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Builder proposes retrofit alternative to zero carbon
26/04/2012
A leading house builder has called on the government to scrap plans to make homes zero carbon from 2016 in favour of a levy to improve existing stock.
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Taylor Wimpey positive despite mortgage fears
26/04/2012
House builder Taylor Wimpey has reported a strong start to the year, despite concerns about mortgage availability.
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Public land release programme comes under fire
25/04/2012
Speakers at a Town and Country Planning Association event have questioned whether releasing public land is an effective way to encourage the development of homes.
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Builder warns lending rates are hurting Newbuy
24/04/2012
Buyers are being put off the government’s Newbuy scheme by the ‘disappointing’ lending rates on offer, a house builder has warned.
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Fed warns Newham problems are ‘tip of iceberg’
24/04/2012
Moves by a London council to house families hundreds of miles away from the capital are just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ the National Housing Federation has warned.
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Ministers urged to delay tougher efficiency goals
23/04/2012
The government should scrap plans to increase the energy efficiency of new homes next year because of a lack of progress in meeting current goals, a think tank has claimed.
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Mayoral candidate plans to offer half price homes
18/04/2012
One of the candidates in the race to become London mayor has promised to create a secondary housing market in the capital with homes for sale or rent at half market rate.
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Charity seeks Olympic legacy for homeless people
18/04/2012
With 100 days to go until the Olympics, a homelessness charity is calling for a commitment to ensure the games result in improved support for homeless people.
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Anchor to invest £95 million in building scheme
18/04/2012
Housing and care provider Anchor is planning to spend £95 million building three ‘care villages’.
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Social landlord among group of green deal leaders
04/04/2012
A housing association and two leading social housing contractors are among 22 organisations that have signed up to pioneer the government’s flagship energy efficiency scheme.
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Solid wall insulation could benefit 1m homes
04/04/2012
Around 12 per cent of homes in England and Wales could qualify for unsubsidised solid wall insulation under the terms of the government’s green deal, research has found.
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Fed calls for time limit on right to buy replacement
04/04/2012
The National Housing Federation has called on the government to set a fixed time frame for the replacement of homes sold under the right to buy.
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PM to unveil £600m community enterprise fund
04/04/2012
The prime minister is launching a £600 million community investment fund today, financed by leading banks and through money left in dormant bank accounts.
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Stock transfer associations consider partnership
02/04/2012
Two stock transfer housing associations in London are examining ways they could work together to make service delivery more efficient.
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Offenders 'should repair damage to communities'
02/04/2012
More offenders who commit crimes in the area where they live should be expected to repair damage caused and meet their victims, the Labour Party leader has said.
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Lovell wins £5.6m affordable homes contract
29/03/2012
Lovell has won a £5.6 million contract to build a 68-home development for Parkway Green Housing Trust in Wythenshawe, south Manchester.
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Call for affordable housing to be prioritised
29/03/2012
Eighty five per cent of the public think affordable housing should be a greater political priority, a survey has found.
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Lords defeated over amendments to squatting ban
29/03/2012
Government plans to criminalise squatting are set to go ahead after last minute amendments to legislation were either withdrawn or voted down.
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CIH governing board chair resigns
28/03/2012
The chair of the Chartered Institute of Housing’s governing board has resigned.
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Campaigners take protest to CLG headquarters
28/03/2012
Defend Council Housing campaigners have staged their first protest outside the Communities and Local Government department’s headquarters.
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Borrowing rates set for councils to buy freedom
28/03/2012
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.
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Developer appointed for Covent Garden scheme
27/03/2012
The Covent Garden Market Authority has appointed a developer for the £2 billion regeneration of the area, which is expected to include nearly 3,000 homes.
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Landlord secures £100m management contract
27/03/2012
Housing association Plus Dane has won a £100 million contract to manage housing stock for Cheshire West and Cheshire Council.
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Councils await publication of planning framework
27/03/2012
The government’s long-awaited overhaul of the planning framework for England is to be published later today.
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Video project showcases positive view of city
26/03/2012
A Liverpool housing association is working with young people to produce videos showing how they view the city in the wake of last summer’s riots.
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Housing Heroes 2012 shortlist unveiled
22/03/2012
The organisations and individuals that are in the running for this year’s Housing Heroes Awards have been announced.
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Charity disputes Osborne's family Budget claim
22/03/2012
A children’s charity has dismissed the chancellor’s depiction of his Budget as being for hard working families.
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Planners concerned by NPPF implementation
22/03/2012
Concerns have been raised about the implementation of the national planning policy framework after the chancellor announced it would come into force next week.
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Lawyers warn allocation guidance lacks detail
22/03/2012
Housing lawyers have warned that draft guidance on the allocation of social housing falls short of providing councils with the detailed information they need.
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Ministers urged to ring fence public land
21/03/2012
A housing association has called on the government to ring fence some of the public land it has identified for house building for affordable homes.
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Osborne commits £420m to local development
21/03/2012
The chancellor has promised an extra £420 million of investment to support local development in his Budget speech.
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Flintshire tenants reject transfer plans
21/03/2012
Flintshire council looks set to retain its housing stock after tenants overwhelming rejected plans to transfer homes to a housing association.
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Government lowers bar for green deal providers
20/03/2012
The government is lowering the requirements for organisations that want to become providers under its green deal energy efficiency scheme.
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Galliford Try reveals £56 million of contract wins
20/03/2012
Galliford Try has won £56 million of contracts for housing developments across Greater London.
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HCA allocates £570m to stalled housing schemes
20/03/2012
The Homes and Communities Agency has announced the remainder of the schemes that have been shortlisted for the first phase of the Get Britain building fund.
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Olympics could provide tenancy fraud headache
20/03/2012
Experts on tackling tenancy fraud have questioned whether it will be possible to take action against tenants who sublet their properties during the Olympics.
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Subletting tenant sentenced to 16 weeks in prison
16/03/2012
A council tenant has been sentenced to 16 weeks in prison for subletting a local authority-owned property.
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Pickles: councils lack will to tackle ‘beds in sheds'
15/03/2012
The communities secretary has accused councils of lacking the ‘willpower’ to tackle rogue private landlords who set up temporary dwellings in back gardens.
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CIH publishes guide to tackling tenancy fraud
15/03/2012
The Chartered Institute of Housing has published a best practice guide on tackling tenancy fraud.
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MP calls for compulsory solar panels on new homes
14/03/2012
The Conservative MP for Carlisle has called for the fitting of solar panels to be compulsory on all new build homes.
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Shapps defends claim that private rents are falling
14/03/2012
The housing minister has insisted his claim that rents in the private rented sector are falling is correct after the issue was again raised in parliament.
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Two thirds of councils miss all tenancy fraud cases
14/03/2012
Seventy one per cent of councils in Britain did not detect a single instance of tenancy fraud last year despite an estimated 28,000 cases in local authority stock.
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Two year sentence for false passport fraudster
13/03/2012
A benefit fraudster has been sentenced to two years in jail after using a fake French passport to claim £100,000 in payments.
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Right to buy to cover 30% of new home costs
12/03/2012
The government has set out details of how it intends to ensure a new affordable home is built for every one sold through the revitalised right to buy.
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First lenders and house builders sign up to Newbuy
12/03/2012
The government has named the first house builders and lenders that will offer products under its new build mortgage indemnity guarantee scheme.
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Councils seek funding freedoms to build homes
12/03/2012
Council leaders are calling on the chancellor to ease restrictions on local authority borrowing to enable them to build more homes.
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Bid to build UK’s largest Passivhaus scheme
09/03/2012
Norwich-based housing association Broadland plans to build the UK’s largest ultra-energy efficient Passivhaus scheme to tackle fuel poverty.
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Government allocates £3.5m to green deal training
08/03/2012
The government is making £3.5 million available to train assessors and installers for its flagship green deal energy efficiency scheme.
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MPs demand tighter rules for payday loan firms
07/03/2012
MPs have called for tougher regulation of companies that issue short term ‘payday’ loans.
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Providers consider REIT move to fund building
07/03/2012
Social housing providers are considering moving some or all of their stock into real estate investment trusts when the rules on the tax efficient vehicles change later this year.
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Plans approved for Liverpool regeneration scheme
07/03/2012
Liverpool Council has approved outline plans for the regeneration of dock land in the city that will hold 9,000 homes.
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Minister accepts case for more housing investment
07/03/2012
The communities minister has admitted the government would like to invest more in housing, but insisted it will increase social housing stock.
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Union claims cashback scheme is danger to tenants
07/03/2012
A government scheme to encourage tenants to carry out their own repairs has been branded ‘dangerously flawed’ by trade union Ucatt.
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Payment by results model to tackle rough sleeping
07/03/2012
The government is introducing a ‘payment by results’ funding model for charities working to get rough sleepers off the streets of London.
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Vince Cable called on PM to invest in housing
07/03/2012
Business secretary Vince Cable sent a private letter to the prime minister calling for increased support for housing, it has emerged.
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Pickles praises LEP’s support for house building
07/03/2012
Eric Pickles has praised local enterprise partnerships that are using government infrastructure funding to support housing developments.
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Mayor outlines plan for 16,000 home regeneration
06/03/2012
The mayor of London has published a planning framework for an area of south London that could eventually hold 16,000 new homes.
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Lords abandon new bid for statutory welfare review
06/03/2012
A renewed attempt to get an independent review of the impact of the government’s welfare reforms enshrined in law has been abandoned.
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Incentive payments should help first-time buyers
06/03/2012
Councils should consider using new homes bonus funding to set up schemes to help first-time buyers get on the housing ladder, according to an influential think tank.
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Council completes 3,000 home stock transfer
06/03/2012
The transfer of more than 3,000 homes from South Lakeland District Council to South Lakes Housing went through yesterday.
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Moat transfers care home management
05/03/2012
Moat has transferred the management of five of its care homes to Look Ahead Housing following its decision to withdraw from the market.
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Social housing approvals slump by 46 per cent
01/03/2012
The number of social housing units receiving planning permission across Britain almost halved last year when compared to 2010.
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Welfare bill to become law as Lord Best backs down
01/03/2012
The Welfare Reform Bill has completed its passage through parliament after Lord Freud appeased peers by promising to review the impact of the bedroom tax.
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TSA boss to stand down as regulator closes
01/03/2012
The Tenant Services Authority has confirmed its managing director will stand down when the regulator’s powers transfer to the Homes and Communities Agency on 1 April.
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Housing supply expert questions government plans
01/03/2012
The head of a major review into housing supply has questioned whether the coalition government’s strategy will deliver enough homes.
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Green deal to get 'soft launch' in October
29/02/2012
The introduction of the government’s flagship energy efficiency scheme in October will be a ‘soft launch’, the climate change minister has said.
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Council plans to build 400 homes for market rent
28/02/2012
A council is planning to develop 400 homes for market rent on public land in partnership with a housing association and developer.
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First application submitted for 10,000-home town
27/02/2012
A planning application has been submitted for the first phase of the biggest new town to be proposed since Milton Keynes.
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Study finds green deal will not address fuel poverty
27/02/2012
Fuel poverty in the UK is set to increase by 40 per cent by 2016 despite the introduction of government energy efficiency schemes, according to research.
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NHF appoints replacement for assistant director
27/02/2012
The National Housing Federation has appointed an interim assistant director of research and futures.
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Kier revenues hit by local authority cut backs
23/02/2012
Kier has seen a 22 per cent drop in revenue for its maintenance business, which provides services to local authorities and housing associations.
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Councillors consider free transfer of land for homes
23/02/2012
Durham Council is considering giving land for nearly 40 homes to a housing association free of charge.
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Services harmed by public spending cuts
23/02/2012
The majority of people working in local government and social housing believe the drive to cut public expenditure is damaging services, a survey has found.
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Cameron rejects call to correct private rents claim
22/02/2012
David Cameron has refused to correct his claim that private sector rents are falling despite research carried out by Inside Housing that proves the opposite is true.
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Barratt reports 40.5 per cent surge in profits
22/02/2012
House builder Barratt has reported a 40.5 per cent increase in profit for the six months to 31 December 2011.
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Private rented sector review head seeks evidence
22/02/2012
The head of a government review of barriers to large-scale investment in the private rented sector has issued a call for evidence.
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HMR transition fund to be spent on demolition
21/02/2012
Councils are spending around 98 per cent of funding designed to ease the end of the housing market renewal programme demolishing homes.
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Government approves PFI funds for estate overhaul
20/02/2012
The regeneration of a London council estate is to go ahead after the government agreed £150 million of private finance initiative funding.
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Cuts inevitable for under-occupying tenants
20/02/2012
Tenants affected by housing benefit cuts for under-occupation will have little choice but to survive with less money, according to research conducted by one social landlord.
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False details to result in housing application ban
16/02/2012
Housing applicants who supply false information could be banned from applying for homes for a year, under proposals being considered by one council.
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Government urged to rethink bedroom tax
16/02/2012
The Chartered Institute of Housing has urged the government to make concessions to its plans for a ‘bedroom tax’ after the latest Welfare Reform Bill defeat.
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Poll backs one spare room limit for tenants
10/02/2012
More than two thirds of Inside Housing readers think social tenants on housing benefit should be allowed to have one spare room.
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Benefit cap to force families from temporary homes
10/02/2012
A London borough has found hundreds of families in temporary accommodation in its area could be made homeless by the government’s welfare reforms.
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Greenhalgh and Randall to lead red tape cull
09/02/2012
A highly controversial council boss and a leading solicitor have been appointed to spearhead a government initiative to combat bureaucracy in housing.
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Flint: ban benefit payments for substandard homes
09/02/2012
Private landlords whose homes do not meet minimum energy efficiency standards should be not be able to house tenants on housing benefit, the shadow energy secretary has argued.
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Union claims right to buy reform is a ‘shoddy scam’
03/02/2012
Construction union Ucatt has described the government’s plans to reform right to buy as a ‘shoddy scam’ in its response to a consultation on the proposals.
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Watchdog shuts down sale and rent back market
03/02/2012
The Financial Services Authority has shut down the market for businesses that buy homes from struggling homeowners and then rent them back to them.
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Non government bodies targeted in land drive
02/02/2012
The government is extending the reach of its drive to make land available for house building by targeting organisations outside its direct control.
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High rents prompt concerns over HRA debt figures
02/02/2012
Councils have objected to the rent figures used in the final calculations for the payments they will have to make or receive as part of the move to self financing.
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Aster merges subsidiaries to save £25 million
02/02/2012
Aster Group is to merge three of its subsidiaries in a bid to cut costs and improve services.
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Under occupation cuts ‘would not deliver savings’
01/02/2012
Proposed cuts to housing benefit for under occupation would cause severe hardship for tenants and not deliver the expected savings, analysis has found.
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Agencies to pilot anti-social behaviour 'trigger'
31/01/2012
The government is to pilot the use of a ‘community trigger’ to force agencies to take action against anti-social behaviour.
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Tenants demand protection from welfare cuts
30/01/2012
Campaigners are calling on social landlords not to evict tenants who fall behind on rent payments because of housing benefit cuts.
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ALMO teaches tenants to maintain their homes
30/01/2012
An arm’s-length management organisation is offering DIY training to tenants to help them improve their homes.
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Bill to create ‘premier league’ for housing allocation
26/01/2012
Homeless families would only get priority access to social housing if they pass a ‘good citizenship’ test under proposals introduced to parliament this week.
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Councils back green deal efficiency scheme
26/01/2012
Most local authorities are keen to get involved in the government’s green deal energy efficiency scheme, research has suggested.
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Authorities urged to tackle fuel poor areas
26/01/2012
The government is being urged to work with local government to set up ‘low carbon zones’ to tackle fuel poverty in deprived areas.
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Candidates clash over 'distrust' of housing sector
25/01/2012
The two candidates competing to be vice president of the Chartered Institute of Housing have clashed over government perception of the housing sector.
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Institute warns green deal won't tackle fuel poverty
20/01/2012
The government’s flagship energy efficiency scheme won’t tackle fuel poverty, the Chartered Institute of Housing has warned.
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Mayor questions future of affordable rent model
19/01/2012
The mayor of London has questioned how the government’s affordable rent model can be maintained in the long term.
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Huhne claims sector will benefit from ECO
19/01/2012
The energy secretary has rejected suggestions that social landlords will not get fair access to funding from energy companies to improve efficiency.
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Families cut back on food and fuel to pay for homes
19/01/2012
A third of people across Britain have cut back on food so they can pay their housing costs, according to a Shelter survey.
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Stalled homes get underway after mayor intervenes
18/01/2012
A scheme to build 1,350 homes on Homes and Communities Agency land in east London is to go ahead after a deal was agreed between the various partners.
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Presidential hopeful dismisses allocation plans
17/01/2012
Plans to overhaul housing allocations are like ‘rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic’ according to one of the candidates for the role of Chartered Institute of Housing vice president.
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Social housing PV unviable unless FIT rates double
13/01/2012
Incentive payments for electricity generated from solar panels need to be set at nearly double the proposed rate for installations to remain viable for social landlords, according to research.
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Illegal sub-letting will be hard to prove
13/01/2012
Landlords could struggle to prove sub-letting tenants are acting illegally, making proposed new powers difficult to enforce, sector figures have warned.
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Developers invited to give views on red tape
12/01/2012
Social housing developers are being invited to tell the government what regulatory and administrative burdens they would like to see axed.
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Builders undeterred by £420m fund restrictions
12/01/2012
The Homes and Communities Agency has said developers of all sizes are interested in the Get Britain building scheme, despite concerns it would favour smaller groups.
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Public body fears hold back subletting plans
12/01/2012
The government is holding back from giving housing associations the same powers to tackle subletting as local authorities due to fears over their status.
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Barratt profits rise 40 per cent as margins improve
12/01/2012
House builder Barratt has reported a 40 per cent increase in profits for the six months to 31 December 2011 compared with the equivalent period of 2010.
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ALMO to engage tenants through smartphone app
12/01/2012
North Manchester arm’s-length management organisation Northwards Housing is launching a smartphone app next week to encourage tenant engagement.
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CIH head rejects Shapps' attack on social housing
11/01/2012
The outgoing president of the Chartered Institute of Housing has added her voice to those criticising Grant Shapps for attacking the social housing profession.
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Subletting crackdown to criminalise tenancy fraud
11/01/2012
The government is proposing to create a new criminal offence of tenancy fraud to crack down on the subletting of social housing.
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Contract wins boost 2011 trading for Mears
10/01/2012
Mears has announced £156 million of social housing contract wins, and said trading for 2011 was as expected.
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Right to buy extension could generate £68bn
06/01/2012
Extending the right to buy to all housing association tenants could be worth more than £68 billion to the UK economy, according to Home Group.
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CIH begins search for chief executive
06/01/2012
The Chartered Institute of Housing has begun its search for a new chief executive following the death of Sarah Webb last year.
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MPs call for the right to buy to be extended
06/01/2012
The right to buy should be extended to one million housing association tenants who are currently excluded from the offer, according to a report.
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CIH appoints new head of policy and practice
05/01/2012
The Chartered Institute of Housing has named its new director of policy and practice.
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Council plans ALMO as self financing approaches
05/01/2012
Shropshire Council is considering setting up a new arm’s-length management organisation in response to the move to self financing.
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Environmental groups urged to block immigration
05/01/2012
An MP has urged environmental groups to consider the impact of immigration when opposing plans to build homes.
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Young people to be restricted to two year tenancies
05/01/2012
A London council is planning to introduce two year tenancies for all single people aged under 25.
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Dormant bank accounts to fund community work
30/12/2011
Schemes to help the long-term unemployed and support community energy projects are among those to get access to a £3.1 million fund taken from dormant bank accounts.
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Firm chosen to run government mortgage scheme
23/12/2011
A consultancy specialising in risk management has been appointed to run the government’s mortgage indemnity guarantee scheme.
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National Trust and CofE oppose FIT cuts
23/12/2011
The Church of England and National Trust have added their voices to those opposing cuts to payments for solar power as a consultation on the plans closes.
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Residents back rehousing families outside borough
23/12/2011
A survey of Harrow residents has found the majority consider it acceptable for families to be rehoused outside the London borough.
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Council concerns over ALMO delay in house move
23/12/2011
A council has delayed plans to bring its arm’s-length management organisation back in house after concerns were raised about its performance.
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A wasted chance
16/12/2011
The impact of the government’s decision to halve the feed-in tariff was revealed this week and the figures are startling.
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Legal threat fails to block 6,000 home transfer
13/12/2011
Campaigners have dropped a threat to use legal action to halt the transfer of more than 6,000 council homes to a housing association.
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Allocations overhaul to favour ‘responsible’ tenants
12/12/2011
Westminster Council has unveiled a range of sanctions and rewards for social housing tenants and applicants as part of a new ‘vision’ for its public services.
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Tenants face £26 a week cut for under-occupation
09/12/2011
Social tenants on housing benefit who are deemed to be under-occupying their homes stand to lose up to £26.65 a week under government plans.
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Housing market ‘resilient’ despite economic fears
09/12/2011
House builder Bellway has reported the market is proving ‘remarkably resilient’ to problems in the wider economy.
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TSA can’t fill key financial posts
09/12/2011
The Tenant Services Authority has been operating without ‘critical’ regulatory staff and is experiencing delays in making regulatory judgements as its transition to the Homes and Communities Agency looms.
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Study highlights value of extra care housing
08/12/2011
An evaluation of extra care housing developments funded through a £227 million government programme has concluded the schemes could help meet the needs of an ageing population.
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Government plans tougher rules on mortgage help
06/12/2011
Tighter controls on support for homeowners who are struggling to pay their mortgages are being proposed by the government.
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Empty homes campaigner attacks squatting plans
06/12/2011
The presenter of a Channel 4 programme highlighting the ‘scandal’ of empty homes has slammed government plans to criminalise squatting.
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Institute names head of audit and risk board
02/12/2011
The Chartered Institute of Housing has named the chair of a new audit and risk board, which will report on the effectiveness of the institute’s governance.
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Leaders warn of worsening social housing crisis
01/12/2011
Social housing leaders believe the sector is in crisis and the situation is likely to get worse.
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Hotline to combat surge in rough sleeping
01/12/2011
A homelessness charity is encouraging members of the public to call with information on rough sleepers after identifying a surge in the number of people on the streets.
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Transfer approval raises threat of legal action
01/12/2011
Wycombe District Council has approved the transfer of its homes to a community housing association, raising the prospect of legal challenge to the move.
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Government confirms £200m green deal sweetener
30/11/2011
The government has confirmed plans to put £200 million into encouraging take up of its green deal energy efficiency scheme.
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Economy threatened by ‘terrifying’ job cuts
30/11/2011
The interim chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing has described predictions of public sector job cuts as ‘terrifying’.
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Non-decent homes fall by 26 per cent
30/11/2011
The number of non-decent local authority homes in England has fallen 26 per cent in the last year, according to government figures.
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Housing services hit by public sector strike
30/11/2011
Housing offices across the UK are set to close or offer reduced services today as staff join around two million public sector workers who are striking over pensions.
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Cuts fail to halt £2bn rise in housing benefit costs
30/11/2011
Housing benefit costs will rise by nearly £2 billion by 2016 despite government efforts to cut the bill.
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Fed demands changes to green deal design
25/11/2011
The government needs to do more to make its flagship green deal energy efficiency scheme work for social tenants, the National Housing Federation has said.
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Wandsworth to link tenancies to employment
24/11/2011
Councillors in Wandsworth have approved a pilot scheme that will see social tenants allocated housing on the condition that they find work.
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Huhne hints at rethink for social housing FIT cuts
24/11/2011
The energy secretary has suggested the government will consider putting in place special feed-in tariff rates for social housing providers, but that is not currently able to do so.
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Campaigners threaten legal action to block transfer
24/11/2011
Campaigners are threatening to use legal action to block the transfer of 6,500 local authority homes despite the move being approved by tenants.
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Greater incentives needed to boost green deal
24/11/2011
The green building sector has called for greater incentives to encourage take up of the government’s green deal, after details of the energy efficiency scheme were released yesterday.
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FIT cuts threaten wider energy efficiency work
23/11/2011
Cuts to payments for electricity generated from solar panels will have wider implications for energy efficiency in the social housing sector, Caroline Flint has claimed.
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Huhne promises further green deal incentives
23/11/2011
The energy secretary has announced consumers who take up the green deal efficiency scheme will receive £150 payments and promised further incentives.
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Social landlords cut off from £1.3bn energy fund
23/11/2011
Social landlords look set to be excluded from the bulk of a £1.3 billion a year fund to improve energy efficiency and target fuel poverty.
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Government to set out details of efficiency scheme
23/11/2011
The long-awaited consultation on the government’s green deal energy efficiency scheme is expected to be published later today.
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Income to be protected from welfare reform
21/11/2011
Changes to welfare payments for housing costs will not damage the income streams of social landlords, the government has promised.
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Homeowners to be offered improvement loans
17/11/2011
Leicester is considering setting up a £500,000 scheme to help homeowners on low incomes improve their properties.
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Research uncovers green deal limitations
17/11/2011
The government’s flagship energy efficiency scheme will only fund a small proportion of work to improve homes without subsidy, according to research.
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Register for free fire and gas safety webinar
15/11/2011
Inside Housing is running a free webinar on improving fire and gas safety on 29 November.
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Contractor reveals Connaught recovery work ongoing
09/11/2011
Morgan Sindall has said progress on recovering work from stricken contractor Connaught is proceeding in line with expectations.
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Solar rules to exclude 86% of UK homes
09/11/2011
Just 14 per cent of UK homes would be eligible for incentive payments for generating electricity from photovoltaic panels under government proposals.
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Ladder video lands safety officer in trouble
09/11/2011
Housing contractor Morrison has suspended one of its health and safety officers after he was filmed falling off a ladder.
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DECC could rethink fuel poverty plans
03/11/2011
The government may be prepared to back down on plans that would have excluded social landlords from funding to alleviate fuel poverty.
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Green deal could fund zero carbon homes
03/11/2011
Applying the green deal to new homes could make financing zero carbon developments more acceptable, a sustainability expert has said.
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Peers halt lifetime tenancy ‘reward’
01/11/2011
Ministers have narrowly avoided introducing legislation that would have rewarded anti-social tenants with lifetime tenancies.
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Government bows to pressure on direct complaints
01/11/2011
The Localism Bill has been amended to make it easier for tenants to take complaints to the housing ombudsman.
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Landlords face extra pain as solar incentive slashed
31/10/2011
Social landlords are facing an extra cut to payments for electricity generated from renewable sources on top of the 51 per cent reduction announced today.
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Sharp cuts expected from solar payment review
31/10/2011
Proposed cuts to payments for using domestic solar panels are to be outlined today with rumours suggesting the incentives could be halved.
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Renewable heat budget increased by a third
28/10/2011
Funding available for social landlords to install renewable heating equipment has been increased by a third, to £4 million.
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Feed-in tariff link to encourage use of green deal
27/10/2011
Incentive payments to encourage the use of renewable energy generation are to be dependent on making homes energy efficient.
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Council seeks transfer to dodge £145m bill
27/10/2011
A council is seeking to transfer its stock to a housing association to avoid taking on £145 million of debt through reform of the housing revenue account.
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Fund hopes to use public land for housing
27/10/2011
Kent County Council is setting up an investment fund to pool public sector land and assets for house building and other developments.
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Europe approves renewable heat scheme
27/10/2011
The European Commission has approved a UK government scheme to give financial rewards for the generation of heat from renewable sources.
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Feed in tariff fears freeze £175m investment
24/10/2011
The social housing sector could be the biggest loser in a rumoured shake up of a scheme to incentivise the installation of solar panels, a social enterprise has warned.
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Rough sleeping scheme scoops £25,000 award
21/10/2011
A project helping the most entrenched rough sleepers off the streets of London has won a prestigious homelessness award.
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Mass walkout ends Dale Farm conflict
21/10/2011
Battles between residents of the Dale Farm Traveller site and police seem to have ended after the protesters vacated the area.
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Pension scheme to review member benefits
20/10/2011
The social housing pension scheme is conducting a review of the benefits available to its members.
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TSA considers end of appeals process
20/10/2011
The Tenant Services Authority may recommend its internal appeals process is scrapped once its powers are transferred to the Homes and Communities Agency.
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One week to register for our Riot Report webinar
19/10/2011
There is just one week left to register for Inside Housing’s free webinar on building stronger communities.
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Task force to examine social mobility and housing
18/10/2011
A task force for politicians to investigate how the housing sector can improve social mobility has been launched.
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Ministers promise to improve record on housing
18/10/2011
Ministers have pledged to retain their focus on housing as a report questions whether the coalition government is achieving its aims.
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Government faces calls to review direct payment
18/10/2011
The government will come under pressure to review its plans for direct payment of housing benefit in parliament today.
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Dale Farm in ‘lockdown’ as legal bid fails
17/10/2011
Residents of the Dale Farm Traveller site said they have ‘locked down’ the area after losing their latest legal bid to halt eviction.
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Shapps targets second home-owning tenants
17/10/2011
Housing minister Grant Shapps is planning a crackdown on wealthy council tenants who own a second home.
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Private landlords face tougher efficiency rules
07/10/2011
Rules forcing private landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their homes could be introduced earlier if progress is not made voluntarily.
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Cameron wants to inspire 'Tory housing revolution'
05/10/2011
The prime minister has pledged to ‘inspire a new Tory housing revolution’ to tackle the failure of the housing market.
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Bureaucracy and planning hurting empty homes
05/10/2011
A high-profile architect has called on the government to slash red tape and planning constraints to tackle the 350,000 long-term empty homes in Britain.
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Government in pledge to engage with youth
05/10/2011
The government has promised to take a more positive approach to engaging with young people.
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MP warns funding could affect Dilnot report
05/10/2011
The government could take years to act on a major report on funding for care and support services, an MP has warned.
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Shapps calls for innovation in empty homes fund
05/10/2011
Charities and businesses are to be asked to come forward with innovative ways to use a £100 million empty homes fund.
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MP claims landlords could stop building
04/10/2011
Housing associations could stop building homes within 20 years, according to one of the housing minister’s key aides.
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Tory council plans alternative use for RTB cash
03/10/2011
A Conservative-run council is calling for right to buy income to be used to support first-time buyers, as the prime minister unveils an overhaul of the policy.
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National Trust targets new homes bonus scheme
29/09/2011
The National Trust has called for a clause in the Localism Bill that legitimises the new homes bonus incentive scheme to be scrapped.
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Labour leaders urged to prioritise house building
29/09/2011
Labour members will urge the party leadership to commit to a programme of investment in new homes at their annual conference today.
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Borough to license all private landlords
28/09/2011
A London borough has begun moves to set up a licensing scheme for all private landlords.
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Miliband told to get to grips with housing crisis
27/09/2011
Reforms proposed by Labour leader Ed Miliband do not address the fundamental problems with housing, the National Housing Federation has warned.
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Lib Dems seek green homes tax for nuclear firms
27/09/2011
The Liberal Democrats have approved a policy motion that calls for the operators of nuclear power stations to pay a tax to improve home energy efficiency.
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Council plans to demolish 1,276 homes
26/09/2011
Birmingham Council has earmarked 1,276 of its 65,000 homes for demolition.
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Rural homes cost 42% more than urban equivalents
26/09/2011
Homes suitable for first-time buyers in rural areas are 42 per cent more expensive than equivalent properties in towns and cities, analysis has found.
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Housing association leaves care role as cuts bite
21/09/2011
One of the south east’s leading housing associations is withdrawing from its role as a care provider in sheltered and supported housing.
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Social housing sales reach new low
21/09/2011
Sales of social housing in England remained at low levels during 2010/11 despite a 15 per cent rise in local authority homes sold through the right to buy.
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Cornwall approves plans for 10,000-home ALMO
21/09/2011
Councillors in Cornwall have approved plans to create a single arm’s-length management organisation covering the whole county.
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Last chance to complete our skills survey
21/09/2011
Our latest skills survey, run with consultancy Altair, has had a great response but we’d still like more people to take part and stand a chance of winning £500 of Marks and Spencer vouchers.
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CLG group seeks green building compliance
20/09/2011
The Communities and Local Government department has set up a committee to ensure green building standards are met.
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Households reluctant to take on green technology
20/09/2011
Persuading households to take up the green deal energy efficiency scheme may take more effort than expected, a pilot has concluded.
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Kier profits rise by almost a quarter
15/09/2011
Construction and services firm Kier has reported a 24 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £68.9 million.
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Direct payments dropped if tenant in arrears
14/09/2011
Housing benefit payments will be switched to landlords if tenants fall into arrears once the universal credit is introduced.
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TSA chair fears lenders' withdrawal from sector
13/09/2011
The chair of the Tenant Services Authority has warned the impending financial crisis in Europe could prompt lenders to withdraw from the social housing market.
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Research casts doubt on benefit cut claims
13/09/2011
Housing bodies are demanding a rethink of housing benefit cuts after research cast doubt on the justification for the plans.
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Campaigners demand green deal VAT cut
12/09/2011
Campaigners are calling for tax breaks to support the government’s green deal as the Energy Bill enters its final stages.
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Proceed with caution
09/09/2011
One year on from the collapse of Connaught, the obvious conclusion is that lessons have not been learned.
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Ministers to set out empty homes plans
07/09/2011
The communities minister has promised to do more to ensure empty homes are brought back into use.
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Housing minister seeks advice from shadow
07/09/2011
Housing minister Grant Shapps has written to his Labour counterpart asking for policy ideas, it emerged this week.
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Durham plans 3,000 home solar project
07/09/2011
Durham County Council is considering plans to fit photovoltaic panels to 3,000 of its homes.
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British Gas begins smart meter roll out
06/09/2011
British Gas is to start rolling out smart meters to its customers’ homes this month.
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Figures reveal scale of zero carbon challenge
06/09/2011
Only 160 homes that would meet the government’s definition of zero carbon were built between April 2007 and June 2011.
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Sarah Webb dies following battle with illness
05/09/2011
The chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing died yesterday just days after standing down from the role.
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Ombudsman sets out ‘offer’ to tenants
05/09/2011
The housing ombudsman has set out how his organisation will handle complaints from tenants once it takes full responsibility for the sector in 2013.
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Fed demands fix for 'broken' housing market
30/08/2011
The National Housing Federation is calling for more support for affordable housing, as research shows homeownership will slump over the next decade.
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CIH chief executive to stand down
24/08/2011
The chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Sarah Webb, is to stand down following a period of ill health.
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Residents asked for views on allocations
24/08/2011
Edinburgh Council is asking residents for their views on how social housing should be allocated in the Scottish capital.
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South west associations plan home swap
24/08/2011
Two housing providers in south west England are planning to swap a total of 1,360 homes to make their services more efficient.
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Institute seeks members for governing board
24/08/2011
The Chartered Institute of Housing is recruiting members for a new governing board that will set the strategic direction for the body.
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Charity concerned by smart meter plans
19/08/2011
Citizens Advice has warned proposals for the roll out of smart meters could leave consumers vulnerable to exploitation by energy companies.
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Camden appoints builder for Passivhaus project
18/08/2011
Camden has appointed a contractor to develop a 53 home residential block that will meet the Passivhaus energy efficiency standard.
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Council backs fast-track eviction plans
18/08/2011
The UK’s largest council landlord has backed plans to allow fast-track evictions of social tenants.
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Wandsworth told to back down on riot evictions
18/08/2011
A petition calling on Wandsworth Council to change its position on evicting the families of people involved in rioting has attracted nearly 2,000 signatures.
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Housing schemes feature in architecture awards
18/08/2011
Two affordable housing schemes from the UK have made it onto the shortlist of the World Architecture Festival Awards 2011.
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Affordable rent to drive up benefit bill
17/08/2011
Research has found affordable rent will make homes unaffordable for more than half of households in some parts of London and drive up the housing benefit bill.
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Clegg backs moves to cut benefits for rioters
17/08/2011
The deputy prime minister has backed moves to withdraw benefits from rioters despite concern from his Liberal Democrat colleagues.
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Landlord to test green technologies
16/08/2011
Greenfields Community Housing is fitting photovoltaic panels to 1,000 of its 8,000 homes and testing ways to improve the energy efficiency of the remainder.
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UK-GBC to develop green training framework
16/08/2011
The UK-Green Building Council is setting up a task group to develop a training framework for sustainable development.
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‘Locality’ clause cut from eviction proposals
16/08/2011
The government has revised proposals to allow social landlords to seek fast-track evictions in the light of last week’s riots.
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Ministers look to cut benefits from rioters
15/08/2011
The government is considering withdrawing benefits from people involved in last week’s riots, according to reports.
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Riots prompt changes to fast track eviction plans
12/08/2011
Proposals to fast track evictions for anti-social behaviour are to be amended in the light of the rioting this week, the housing minister has confirmed.
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Council approves plans for eco-town
12/08/2011
Detailed planning permission has been granted for the first phase of one of the eco-town developments.
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MPs to consider removing benefits from rioters
12/08/2011
A petition calling for rioters to be stripped of their benefits has received so much support it is eligible to be debated in parliament.
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ALMO works with police to evict rioters
11/08/2011
An arm’s-length management organisation is working with police to identify its tenants who were involved in riots, and has said it will evict offenders.
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First-time buyers return to market
11/08/2011
First-time buyers took out more mortgages in June than at any time in the last 10 months, according to figures.
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Birmingham leading on home insulation
10/08/2011
Birmingham is leading the way in improving the energy efficiency of homes, according to government figures.
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Energy efficiency arguments are ‘misguided’
10/08/2011
Attempting to convince households to improve energy efficiency on the basis of fuel savings alone is misguided, a government-backed pilot scheme has concluded.
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Housing office set alight as violence spreads
10/08/2011
A disused housing office in Salford was attacked last night as rioting spread across the north and midlands.
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Housing association homes damaged in riot
08/08/2011
Twenty-six Metropolitan Housing Trust leaseholder homes were among those damaged during riots in Tottenham on Saturday.
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Builder puts shared equity loans up for sale
08/08/2011
One of the UK’s leading house builders has confirmed it is looking at selling a chunk of its shared equity loans.
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Subletting tenants could face jail
08/08/2011
The government is considering introducing prison sentences for tenants who sublet their homes, according to reports.
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Social tenants offered free energy advice
05/08/2011
Social housing tenants in parts of London are to be offered free advice on improving the energy efficiency of their homes.
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Campaigners tackle government over Energy Bill loopholes
05/08/2011
The government is facing a backlash from a newly formed coalition of charities and sustainability campaigners over its plans to improve the energy efficiency of private rented homes.
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Contractor buys struggling home care business
04/08/2011
Social housing firm Mears has increased its involvement in the care and support sector with a £7.4 million acquisition.
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Government pays €70k to end ‘torture’ case
04/08/2011
The UK Government has agreed to pay €70,000 to settle a human rights case where it was accused of failing to protect a family from ‘torture’ and ‘inhuman’ treatment.
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Shapps rules out flexible tenancy changes
03/08/2011
The housing minister has rejected calls to amend the Localism Bill to specify that social tenancies should normally be for a minimum of five years.
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Europe restores payments from €200bn fund
03/08/2011
The European Commission has restored payments to the UK from a €200 billion regeneration fund, following assurances from the government.
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Mears lands £20m PV deal with British Gas
02/08/2011
Mears has won a £20 million photovoltaic panel installation contact through its partnership with British Gas.
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Newcastle to take on green deal role
02/08/2011
Newcastle is planning to set up a partnership with other local authorities to fund home energy efficiency improvements through the green deal.
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Housing charities face council funding cuts
02/08/2011
Housing charities are among more than 2,000 organisations facing budget cuts as local authorities reduce their funding, research has found.
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Consumers buy in to renewable heat scheme
01/08/2011
A scheme offering householders funding towards energy efficient forms of heating has received 2,700 expressions of interest ahead of its launch today.
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Government backtracks on five-year tenancies
28/07/2011
The government has revised instructions to the social housing regulator to explicitly state that flexible tenancies should normally last a minimum of five years.
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Solar profits to improve housing stock
27/07/2011
Nottingham Council is planning to use money generated by fitting solar panels to its homes to invest in improving its stock.
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Energy certificates to promote green deal
26/07/2011
Energy performance certificates that are required for any home being bought, sold, or rented out have been redesigned to promote the green deal.
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Planning changes need clarity to deliver homes
26/07/2011
Clarifying the concept of ‘sustainable development’ will be crucial if the government’s planning reforms are to deliver more homes, developers have warned.
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Village green rules to be reformed
26/07/2011
Proposals that would make it harder for legislation governing village greens to be used to block development have been unveiled by the government.
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Social landlords get fifth of renewable heat fund
22/07/2011
The government has set aside £3 million of a £15 million renewable heat generation fund for social landlords.
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Pathfinder scheme achieves council savings
20/07/2011
A pathfinder scheme has found local authorities can save money and improve services by making better use of assets including land.
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HCA hit with £300k redundancy bill
20/07/2011
The Homes and Communities Agency paid three senior executives more than £300,000 in redundancy payments last year.
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British Gas launches green deal forerunner
20/07/2011
British Gas has launched its version of the government’s green deal home energy efficiency scheme.
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Green bank may not fund home efficiency
19/07/2011
The government has refused to commit to using its £3 billion green investment bank to kick-start its flagship home energy efficiency scheme.
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Trial backs use of energy monitors
19/07/2011
Fitting energy monitors to homes could cut gas bills by 20 per cent, a study has found.
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Direct response
18/07/2011
Changes to the way tenants make complaints to the housing ombudsman feature prominently in our first weekly Tenancy management bulletin.
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Council seeks third of HMR transition fund
18/07/2011
One council has bid for more than a third of the £30 million the government has set aside to help areas hit by the closure of the housing market renewal programme.
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Law body attacks ombudsman 'filter'
15/07/2011
The Law Commission has suggested making tenants take complaints to a local representative before the housing ombudsman could hinder investigations.
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Social landlords shine in design awards
15/07/2011
Social landlords have been commended in the Housing Design Awards for schemes including a modern reinvention of an 18th century tenement block.
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Barratt results show drop in completions
14/07/2011
Barratt has reported a slight fall in completions during its financial year, and said the market remains ‘challenging’ outside London and the south east.
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Overcrowding up 27% in social housing
14/07/2011
The number of children living in overcrowded homes in the social rented sector has risen 27 per cent, according to figures from Shelter.
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Landlords and charities oppose squatting plans
14/07/2011
Government plans to make squatting a criminal offence have come under fire from both landlords and charities.
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Builder completes sale of North American arm
14/07/2011
Taylor Wimpey has completed the sale of its North American business, leaving it clear to focus on the UK.
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Landlords to cut risks of tenant cashback
13/07/2011
Social landlords will be responsible for ensuring their tenant cashback schemes reduce the dangers of putting tenants in charge of their own repairs.
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Councils ponder £1.2 billion solar offer
11/07/2011
A solar panel maker has said several Yorkshire councils have expressed an interest in fitting its products after it unveiled a £1.2 billion deal.
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Kinetics move into administration confirmed
11/07/2011
Social housing contractor Kinetics will go to court this afternoon to seek administration.
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Green deal users offered council tax holiday
08/07/2011
Households are to be offered a month off from paying council tax in return for signing up to the government’s green deal scheme.
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Huhne denies Energy Bill delay will hit green deal
08/07/2011
The energy secretary has denied delays to the government’s Energy Bill will affect its flagship home energy efficiency scheme.
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Benefit reforms to push up interest payments
07/07/2011
Proposed changes to the way housing benefit is paid could hit housing associations with an extra £30 million a year in interest payments, the National Housing Federation has warned.
-
Shapps pledges to cut waiting lists
07/07/2011
Housing minister Grant Shapps will today promise that the government’s social housing reforms will cut waiting lists.
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Scrapping Audit Commission was ‘missed opportunity’
07/07/2011
The sudden abolition of the Audit Commission was a ‘missed opportunity’ to reassess how the performance of local authorities is monitored, a committee of MPs has found.
-
High street firms to pilot green deal
06/07/2011
Leading DIY and energy firms have signed up for a series of trials of the government’s green deal home energy efficiency scheme.
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Zero carbon rethink to drive energy demands
06/07/2011
Revisions to the government’s definition of zero carbon homes will result in increasing demands for low carbon electricity, it has emerged.
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Birmingham extends 40,000 home repairs contracts
06/07/2011
Birmingham City Council has agreed a three-year extension to contracts covering the repairs and maintenance of 40,000 homes in the south of the city.
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Zero carbon homes proposals unveiled
05/07/2011
Proposals have been published outlining how builders could meet the requirement to develop zero carbon homes from 2016 by paying for offsite schemes.
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Morgan Sindall affordable housing performing well
05/07/2011
Morgan Sindall’s affordable housing arm has performed well in the first half of the year, securing £90 million of contract wins, according to a trading update.
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Developer says building will increase with mortgage lending
05/07/2011
The house building industry will only deliver a significant increase in homes if mortgage lending restrictions are eased, a leading developer has warned.
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Completions for house builder rise by more than a quarter
05/07/2011
House builder Galliford Try has reported a 27 per cent increase in housing completions for its trading year, which ended on 30 June.
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Group mortgages to help first-time buyers
05/07/2011
The housing minister will call on banks to offer mortgages to groups of friends when he hosts a second first-time buyer summit today.
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Pickles letter fuels calls for benefit rethink
04/07/2011
The government is facing calls to rethink its approach to housing benefit reform after the private secretary to Eric Pickles warned the policy will increase homelessness and cut house building.
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Housing association fined for pensioner death
01/07/2011
A housing association has been fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £25,000 costs after one of its tenants died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
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Air your views on cashback
01/07/2011
The director of affordable housing at the Communities and Local Government department is among the speakers signed up for a free Inside Housing webinar looking at tenant cashback.
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Aviva to arrange £45m Derwent deal
01/07/2011
Fund manager Aviva is set to agree up to £45 million of institutional investment in social rented homes.
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MPs warn legal aid cuts will hit vulnerable
30/06/2011
Legislation that would slash the number of housing cases eligible for legal aid has received its second reading in the House of Commons, despite widespread opposition.
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Signs of stability in housing market
30/06/2011
The housing market is showing increasing signs of stability, with some improvement in mortgage availability, according to Taylor Wimpey.
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Clear goals needed to cut carbon emissions
30/06/2011
The committee that monitors the government’s progress on reducing carbon emissions has called for firm goals on home energy efficiency.
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Rules to restrict use of two year tenancies
28/06/2011
Regulations covering affordable rent will make it clear two year tenancies should only be used in exceptional circumstances, the housing minister has said.
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Standards tightened for private rented homes
27/06/2011
Private rented sector homes allocated to homeless people will be required to meet enhanced standards.
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NHF slams transparency plans
27/06/2011
The National Housing Federation has claimed government plans for greater transparency in the social housing sector will be costly and pointless.
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Private rented homes to meet minimum standards
24/06/2011
The government is to introduce minimum standards for private rented sector homes.
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Shapps: affordable rent is here to stay
23/06/2011
The housing minister has insisted the affordable rent regime is here to stay, despite accusations that it is unsustainable.
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Final three chosen in Rising Stars contest
23/06/2011
Two of the five Rising Stars finalists have been eliminated from the competition, leaving three to go forward to today’s final.
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ASB consultations miss young people
22/06/2011
Landlords are failing to consult some groups of tenants on anti-social behaviour policy due to an over reliance on traditional methods of engagement.
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Minister sticking with direct payment plans
22/06/2011
Lord Freud has reiterated the government’s commitment to paying the housing element of the universal credit direct to tenants.
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Retrofit pilot exceeds expectations
22/06/2011
Early results from a trial scheme to improve the energy efficiency of homes have exceeded expectations, providing a boost for the government’s flagship retrofit scheme.
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Housing reform scorecard to hold government to account
21/06/2011
Three leading housing organisations have joined forces to hold the government to account on its housing reforms.
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Lenders urged to back self builders
21/06/2011
Housing minister Grant Shapps has written to lenders urging them to support self builders.
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Supply shortage to hit 100,000 buyers
21/06/2011
Low levels of housing supply will prevent 100,000 people getting on the housing ladder in 2011, according to new analysis.
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Shortlist announced for homelessness awards
20/06/2011
Six projects working with homeless people will win a share of more than £50,000 after being shortlisted for the Andy Ludlow awards.
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Economic pressures mount for housing associations
15/06/2011
Housing providers are increasingly concerned that different economic problems will combine to damage their businesses.
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Landlord ordered to repay tenants’ rent
15/06/2011
The owners and managers of an unlicensed house in multiple occupation have been ordered to repay rent to tenants.
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First-time buyer loans rise in April
15/06/2011
The number of loans made to first-time buyers increased 7.5 per cent between March and April, according to the latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
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Providers embrace affordable rent despite fears
13/06/2011
Housing associations are embracing affordable rent despite concerns about the impact it could have on build rates and borrowing capacity.
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Feed-in tariff cuts could hit landlords
10/06/2011
Landlords have warned cuts to payments made for energy from solar panels will discourage the use of renewable power generation.
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Anchor mulls transfer of homecare business
09/06/2011
Anchor is considering transferring the care services it offers in peoples’ homes to another provider.
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ALMO to merge with social care department
27/05/2011
A London arm’s-length management organisation is to merge with the in-house adult social care services department of its parent council.
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Scottish housing starts down 11 per cent
26/05/2011
Housing starts in Scotland fell 11 per cent last year compared with 2009, according to government figures.
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First-time buyers back lending restrictions
26/05/2011
The majority of first-time buyers back tougher mortgage market regulation, according to a survey for Shelter.
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Big society chief stands down
25/05/2011
The head of the government’s big society initiative has stood down after a year in the post.
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CLG strengthens business plan
19/05/2011
The Communities and Local Government department has strengthened measures for reporting progress on house building following a consultation.
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Government calls on communities to tackle empty homes
19/05/2011
Andrew Stunell has called on communities to tackle the ‘scandal’ of empty homes.
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Kier issues positive trading update
18/05/2011
Kier has issued a trading statement saying its financial performance is in line with expectations.
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Landlords offered free advice on tenancy fraud
13/05/2011
Social landlords are being given access to free advice on making the best use of their stock by tackling tenancy fraud and helping people downsize.
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Soup ban remains despite rough sleeping U-turn
13/05/2011
Westminster council has backed down on plans to ban rough sleeping in part of the borough, but is pressing ahead with restrictions on soup runs.
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Tenants fight under occupancy benefit cut
12/05/2011
A group of housing association tenants have launched a campaign calling on the government to scrap plans to cut housing benefit for claimants who under occupy their homes.
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Hyde chief exec to leave association
23/12/2010
Hyde chief executive David Eastgate is to leave the housing association at the end of the year.
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Clegg rejects social cleansing claims
27/10/2010
The deputy prime minister has branded the language used by opponents of the government’s housing benefit reforms as ‘deeply offensive’.
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Miliband announces shadow CLG team
11/10/2010
The Labour Party has announced the MPs who will work with Caroline Flint to shadow the Communities and Local Government department.
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Flint gets CLG role in shadow cabinet
08/10/2010
Controversial former housing minister Caroline Flint is to take on the communities and local government brief in the Labour shadow cabinet.
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Shapps launches fresh assault on pay
22/09/2010
Housing minister Grant Shapps is to use a speech at the National Housing Federation conference today to attack housing association chief executive pay.
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Seven housing quango staff break £150k barrier
05/07/2010
Seven people employed in housing roles at quangos are earning more than £150,000 a year.
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Academic chosen as CIH president
30/06/2010
Irish academic Paddy Gray has been elected as the new president of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
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Top CLG official to step down
24/05/2010
The most senior civil servant at the Communities and Local Government department is leaving to take up a new post.