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Major energy efficiency home improvements scheme gathers pace

Tuesday, 29th June 2021

Gateshead-based contractor Tolent is working to improve the energy efficiency of homes across County Durham after being awarded a £5m contract. Working on behalf of Durham County Council, the contractor is currently retrofitting properties in the Chilton area of the... View Article

Research finds big discrepancies in how landlords deliver safety measures

Friday, 18th June 2021

A report by Plentific shows wide-ranging discrepancies in how social housing and private landlords deliver on different aspects of resident safety, despite the increased focus on the issue in recent years. Almost a half of tenants (46 per cent) living... View Article

Controversy over plans to demolish Grenfell Tower

Friday, 18th June 2021

Government plans to demolish Grenfell Tower have been rejected by former tenants and the relatives of residents who lost their lives in the fire, who are putting forward their own plans to turn the building into a “vertical forest”. A... View Article

Over 400 homeless households helped into private rented housing in Nottingham

Friday, 18th June 2021

Over the last year, 409 homeless households have been given somewhere to live thanks to a support service provided by Nottingham City Council. The council’s Nottingham Private Rented Assistance Scheme (NPRAS) has worked with individuals and families to find them... View Article

Grenfell landlord criticised at inquiry for slow response times and failure to address safety issues

Friday, 18th June 2021

The landlord of Grenfell Tower took five years to replace a smoke ventilation system that had suffered “catastrophic failure” in a fire in 2010 that spread smoke across 11 storeys and injured three people. The inquiry heard the Kensington and... View Article

Grenfell expert witness claims the fire risks of cladding used on the tower were well known

Friday, 18th June 2021

An expert witness to the Grenfell Tower inquiry has said the combustible nature of the panels used on the high rise block’s façade should have been well known to contractors working on the refurbishment. An experienced facade engineer, Jonathan Sakula... View Article

400,000 private sector tenants in danger of being evicted

Friday, 18th June 2021

Over 400,000 private tenants may be in significant rent arrears by the end of 2021 and facing the threat of losing their homes when the suspension of eviction proceedings is lifted according to a report by the London School of... View Article

Allowing more pets in lets

Friday, 18th June 2021

Less than one in ten of private rentals are pet-friendly properties but a new survey from Direct Line has shown that nearly half of landlords back the Government changes to allow ‘well-behaved’ pets in rental flats and houses. A new... View Article

40 per cent of leaseholders unclear what their service charge pays for

Friday, 18th June 2021

Research has found the majority of leasehold homeowners consider service charges unfair, with a lack of transparency around how they are spent also a prominent issue. Along with ground rents, service charges will be paid by most leaseholders to cover... View Article

Housing Review for 2021 highlights huge fall in number of social rented homes

Friday, 18th June 2021

The supply of social rented homes – council housing and housing association homes let at genuinely affordable ‘social’ rents – has fallen by almost 210,000 in England between 2012 and 2020, according to the Chartered Institute of Housing’s annual UK... View Article

Lukewarm response given to Queens Speech by CIH

Friday, 18th June 2021

The main professional body for those working in the social housing sector has given a mixed response to the Government’s planned legislation programme for the next Parliamentary session. In a briefing to its members the Chartered Institute of Housing said:... View Article

Number of second homes in UK rises to almost half a million

Friday, 18th June 2021

The number of second homes in the UK has risen by 30 per cent over the last five years, to a record high of 495,000 according to an analysis of official data by Houst, a leading flexible lettings service. The... View Article

Number of overseas landlords reaches a five-year high

Friday, 18th June 2021

The number of overseas landlords owning property in the UK has hit a five-year high of 184,000 – marking an increase of 19 per cent over the last five years according to residential property market experts Ludlowthompson. The rise in... View Article

About 700,000 tenants served with ‘no-fault’ eviction notices

Friday, 18th June 2021

An estimated 700,000 private tenants have been served with “no-fault” eviction notices since the start of the pandemic, despite a Government promise to scrap them. Section 21 eviction notices are still in use and ministers are facing calls to deliver... View Article

Support for tenants extended but with reduced notice periods

Friday, 18th June 2021

The Government has extended the protection from eviction to October, but has reduced the notice periods which renters must be given to end their tenancies from six to four months. The current ban on bailiff-enforced evictions, introduced as an emergency... View Article

Tenants invited to play lead role in council’s drive to improve its housing services

Friday, 18th June 2021

Croydon Council in south London has pledged to deliver major improvements to its housing services including giving council tenants a much greater say in how services are run, after a highly critical report on appalling living conditions within a high-rise... View Article

The benefits and drawbacks of investing in HMOs

Wednesday, 16th June 2021

Over the last 10-15 years, the UK private rental and HMO (houses in multiple occupation) sectors have grown strongly. From student accommodation to shared housing, HMOs are an attractive option for investors and landlords, but they don’t come without some... View Article

Nearly 100 affordable homes built in St Helens as part of local housing association’s regeneration plan

Wednesday, 16th June 2021

One Vision Housing (OVH), part of The Sovini Group, is delighted to announce the completion of their latest developments in St Helens, bringing nearly 100 new homes to the area. Forming part of their ambitious development plan to build nearly... View Article

Landlords are putting investments at risk by blindly following building regulations

Wednesday, 16th June 2021

A new report launched today by leading property consultancy, TFT, shows occupier expectations are not being met by landlords and developers, which could harm long-term value Buildings are at risk. Property, by its very nature, is relatively permanent, often difficult... View Article

Rula Homes secures consent to deliver affordable housing scheme in Wakefield

Wednesday, 9th June 2021

Rula Homes, the newly established housing division of Rula Developments, has secured planning consent from Wakefield Council to deliver 77 affordable new homes on a 5.76-acre site at City Fields, Wakefield East, located alongside the River Calder and the Aire... View Article