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Morning Briefing: fire safety warning over London care homes
The fire brigade issues a warning after inspecting care homes in the capital, and the rest of the morning’s housing news
In the news
The Observer reports on warnings from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) about the fire safety of care homes in the capital.
Of the 177 inspected by the brigade, 101 were issued with formal notices telling them to improve fire safety.
Dan Daly, assistant commissioner at LFB, told the paper: “Care home owners need to review their fire risk assessments urgently. If you were placing your loved one into the care of others, you would expect them to be safe but for too many the very roof they are under could put them at risk.”
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Private house builders get what is now a time-honoured roasting from the press as results season approaches and the bumper dividends to shareholders are made clear. The firms will pay out some £2.6bn, according to a report in the Mail’s This is Money pages.
“They are paying out big dividends linked to Help to Buy and yet they’re throwing up substandard housing,” says Paula Higgins, chief executive of the Homeowners’ Alliance.
“All this extra money is going into their own pockets and those of their big shareholders instead of being reinvested into society.”
New research indicates private renters have higher rates of a c-reactive protein which appears as a result of stress, indicating the higher stress levels which come with renting a home compared with owning. The Independent has more.
The paper also reports on mounting pressure to repeal the nineteenth century Vagrancy Act which campaigners say represents social attitudes “200 years out of date”.
The BBC presents a piece on rent control, as recently proposed by Sadiq Khan, looking at whether or not the policy can deliver.
New fire safety rules, which include tougher standards for the amount of smoke alarms per property, will come into force in Scotland in 2021 reports The Belfast Telegraph.
Elsewhere, Kit Malthouse has got his hard hat out to spend some time visiting housing developments in Bristol and North Somerset.
In an interview with Bristol Live, the minister has kept his focus on design and beauty which he has made a major priority in his tenure. “In this region you have some of the most extraordinary architectural gems in Europe, if not the world. Design is the most critical thing here for you,” he said.
The Liverpool Echo has taken a trip around some housing association properties suffering from issues such as damp and mould.
On social media
The news that housing associations could become subject to the Freedom of Information Act sparks some mostly supportive comment:
Sticking my neck out & saying #ukhousing sector should not oppose this t.co/e8zcID5R4D
— Martin Wheatley (@wheatley_martin)Sticking my neck out & saying #ukhousing sector should not oppose this https://t.co/e8zcID5R4D
— Martin Wheatley (@wheatley_martin) February 4, 2019
Can’t really argue against FOI for Housing Associations. Openness and transparency should be a key part of org.’s operating model #ukhousing
— Neil Goodrich 💚 (@NGoodrichHsg)Can't really argue against FOI for Housing Associations. Openness and transparency should be a key part of org.'s operating model #ukhousing
— Neil Goodrich \uD83D\uDC9A (@NGoodrichHsg) February 4, 2019
I’ve felt this for a long time. Put local authorities and housing associations on a level footing.
— colin wiles (@colinwiles)I've felt this for a long time. Put local authorities and housing associations on a level footing.
— colin wiles (@colinwiles) February 4, 2019
If housing associations are to rebuild trust and improve relationships with tenants, local communities and others transparency is vital. Personally I would support extension of freedom of information laws @insidehousing t.co/g1Ro0CR2na
— Tom Murtha (@tomemurtha)If housing associations are to rebuild trust and improve relationships with tenants, local communities and others transparency is vital. Personally I would support extension of freedom of information laws @insidehousing https://t.co/g1Ro0CR2na
— Tom Murtha (@tomemurtha) February 4, 2019
You can read Inside Housing’s story on the plans here, and listen to a podcast on the debate below: