The Week in Housing: Complaints to care watchdog double, Enfield snubs new towns programme and we visit a zero-bills housing scheme

Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have revised the number of homes the government has unlocked under legacy schemes up to 57,700, following a report from the National Audit Office earlier this year.

Social housing tenants surveyed by the Scottish Housing Regulator have again raised the alarm over rent affordability, with most fearing that rent hikes from landlords will mean they cannot meet future costs.

Also, landlords in the country could leave the market due to upcoming Awaab’s Law regulation, the Regulatory Review Group told the Scottish government.

A comment piece by Gary Young, chief executive of Mobysoft, called on organisations to get a grip on their data to spot “early warning signs” ahead of the next phase of Awaab’s Law.

Housing charity Shelter Scotland said it was “disappointed” that the Scottish government relaunched a scheme to support first-time buyers, saying it was “wrong” to prioritise them over “people with nowhere safe to call home”.

And Castlehill Housing Association has hired Isla Gray as its new chief executive, as incumbent David Lappin is set to retire after 16 years in charge.

Turning to sustainability, one of our long reads this week saw our reporter visit Octopus Energy’s ‘zero-bills homes’ project and ask, does it work for social housing?

New data found that eight in 10 homes owned by housing associations reporting against the sector’s sustainability standard have now reached Energy Performance Certificate Band C. However, warnings abounded that there is still “significant” work to be done.

The Regulator of Social Housing awarded three housing associations the top consumer grade in its latest round of regulatory judgements.

Platform Housing Group was among the successful bidders for a share of £15.6m in government funding to upgrade old and inefficient heat networks.

The Chartered Institute of Housing has called for Northern Ireland’s version of the Right to Buy scheme to be shelved so that social housing supply levels can recover.

Meanwhile, the country’s communities minister revealed plans to use public sector land to deliver social homes, as grant money alone is “not enough”.

This was closely followed by the more sobering news that the number of households experiencing homelessness in Northern Ireland continued to rise in the first three months of this year, according to official data. 

In Wales, Caerphilly County Borough Council approved a new intermediate rent policy aimed at “expanding housing options to address local need”.

We also had a thoughtful piece from Thomas Lavery, policy and public affairs co-ordinator at charity The Wallich, looking at how the new Plaid Cymru government could end homelessness in the country.

In the North East of England, Bernicia strengthened its leadership team by promoting Ryan Irving-Carr to director of assets and growth.

Two Manchester-based housing associations, Southway and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, revealed they are in merger talks.

And North West-based Plus Dane Housing has added former council boss Mike Harden to its board.

Burnley-based landlord Calico Homes completed a debt restructuring of its £149.5m bank debt portfolio.

Broadacres Housing Association secured a £106m funding package with NatWest to support the expansion of its development programme.

Places for People appointed the chief executive of South Yorkshire Housing Association to a senior role overseeing communities, amid a merger between the two landlords.

It emerged that more than 11,000 council homes in Hackney, east London, still have no electrical safety certificate, despite the issue being flagged in a C3 grading by the English regulator two years ago.

South Gloucestershire Council apologised for turning away a domestic abuse survivor and her young child when they needed to be rehoused.

Orbit said it is bringing its oversight of regeneration and asset management into one role, with the appointment of Jeanette Hodges as a director to cover both.

The Housing Finance Corporation announced a new £250m strategic partnership with Sovereign Network Group.

We finish this week’s newsletter with some sad news. Hattie Llewelyn-Davies, who was awarded an OBE in 2004 for her groundbreaking contribution to housing and homelessness services in London, died on 23 May, following a short illness.

Tina Barnard, chief executive at Watford Community Housing, paid tribute to Ms Llewelyn-Davies’ “extraordinary legacy through the work she did, the organisations she helped to shape for the better, and the many lives she touched”.

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