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Morning Briefing: renter families falling into ‘bad debt’
A quarter of private renter families in England are falling into “bad debt” due to the costs of frequently moving house, The Independent reports this morning
In the news
Families are paying an average of £1,619 in added costs each time they move, according to a report by housing charity Shelter.
Letting fees, removal van hires, cleaning costs and other financial requirements has pushed 255,944 families to take out credit card loans or other forms of debt.
In Grenfell-related news, the Daily Mail is reporting via the Press Association this morning that researchers at Bristol and Kent universities have been commissioned by Shelter to identify gaps in current legislation which could compromise the safety of homes.
Lawyers, housing professionals and residents are being asked to give evidence to the study, with a report due to be published in November.
In Scotland, the Scottish Government has brought forward a consultation on proposals to tighten rules around smoke alarms in social housing and owner-occupied homes, according to STV News.
Meanwhile, the Steffan Evans, project officer at the Tenant Participation Advisory Service Cymru, has written a blog about a possible extension of the Freedom of Information Act to housing associations in the wake of the devastating fire.
On social media
Specialist landlord Habinteg has organised a day of action to raise awareness about accessible homes, using the hashtag #ForAccessibleHomes.
The project aims to get “the government, local councils and property developers to recognise the importance of accessible homes”.
It’s #ForAccessibleHomes day - here’s our @SarahDavisCIH on why it’s so important t.co/bONRHtWMEf @Habinteg pic.twitter.com/BEFcHPKlN3
— CIH (@CIHhousing)It's #ForAccessibleHomes day - here's our @SarahDavisCIH on why it's so important https://t.co/bONRHtWMEf @Habinteg pic.twitter.com/BEFcHPKlN3
— CIH (@CIHhousing) September 8, 2017
"We need to work together to build good quality, affordable, accessible housing" @csfoot #ForAccessibleHomes t.co/8w9XYUqcSF
— Ageing Better (@Ageing_Better)"We need to work together to build good quality, affordable, accessible housing" @csfoot #ForAccessibleHomes https://t.co/8w9XYUqcSF
— Ageing Better (@Ageing_Better) September 8, 2017
The day of action comes as the Local Government Association said today that 400,000 new homes for older people are needed by 2035.
