Morning Briefing: housing conditions of ‘property guardians’ investigated

In the news

Newspaper the I has an eye-opening exposé on the condition of ‘guardianship’ housing and the demographic of people who live in such homes. The tenure involves so-called guardians living in abandoned properties nominally to protect them from squatters, but in reality it is a way of renting out empty offices, pubs and police stations to people desperate for housing on a reduced rent.

The I reveals that far from being an option for merely hedonistic young art graduates, property guardians now include teachers, NHS staff and low-income workers who have none of the legal protection afforded to tenants.

In The Guardian, there are warnings that plastic-backed fridges linked to fire risk are still on sale. A faulty plastic-backed fridge has been blamed for the fire at Grenfell Tower last June.

And the Financial Times carries a story about the struggles of property funds amid the ongoing Brexit uncertainty, with billions being pulled out of the sector.

The Negotiator, a news service for estate agents, reports on warnings that a fifth of EU workers in the construction industry could leave after Brexit.

Elsewhere, the Manchester Evening News reports on warnings from a police force in Trafford that they will push for the eviction of parents of anti-social children from social housing.

Wales Online has a story about a 75-year-old flower seller who has been sleeping in a van because she was suddenly made homeless.

The Romford Recorder reports on Havering Council pushing back on research by London Assembly member Tom Copley about the amount spent on renting back Right to Buy homes in the east London borough. Mr Copley had said the figure was £3m, but in fact it is closer to £250,000.

The East London and West Essex Guardian reports on calls for social tenants to be allowed pets. You can read our feature on the topic here.