Lords welcome launch of new Property Guardian trade group

Seven of the UK’s leading property guardian firms have come together to form the sector’s first trade association to lead on safety and standards, to represent and promote the industry, and to foster best practice. The Property Guardian Providers Association... View Article

Social housing landlords get £248m for cladding removal

Almost £250 million has been allocated to 43 social housing landlords to pay for the removal and replacement of unsafe combustible aluminium composite material cladding from 135 high-rise tower blocks. This is the first tranche of money to be released... View Article

Construction companies fined over asbestos work

Companies in Bristol and Manchester have been prosecuted for failing to follow safe working working practices on the removal of asbestos from buildings. A Bristol-based construction company was sentenced for carrying out unlicensed asbestos work. Bristol Magistrates’ Court heard how,... View Article

Enfield’s MOT for social housing properties

A new scheme to improve the standard of social housing, reduce repair costs and provide a better service for residents is being launched by Enfield Council in north London. Dedicated ‘Property MOT’ teams will visit social housing properties in the... View Article

More PRS landlords are seeing their tenants in arrears

Almost two-thirds of private landlords with tenants receiving Universal Credit have experienced them falling into rent arrears. Based on responses from more than 2,200 landlords, the Residential Landlords Association found that 61 per cent of landlords with tenants on UC... View Article

Almost 50 student blocks still covered in Grenfell-style cladding

Thousands of university students have started the Autumn term staying in accommodation which is covered in combustible cladding according to official figures. Forty-seven residential blocks reserved for students remain clad in aluminium composite material similar to that which helped spread... View Article

Right to buy is costing councils £300 million a year

Total right to buy discounts have climbed to £1 billion a year – leading to a net loss of some £300 million to local authorities, according to new analysis from the Chartered Institute of Housing. Cutting the discounts available could... View Article

East Anglian HA given governance downgrade

A 4,000-home housing association has been warned by the social housing regulator that it needs to strengthen its risk management and internal controls after its governance rating was downgraded. Orwell HA manages properties across Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge and Essex. It... View Article

Bellway to replace cladding on two developments

One of the country’s biggest housebuilders has agreed to meet the full costs of replacing combustible cladding on tower blocks in Cardiff and London, ending months of uncertainty for hundreds of householders. Bellway has set aside £5.9m to replace the... View Article

Government warns private block owners over cladding costs

Housing Secretary James Brokenshire has written to private building owners threatening them with financial penalties if they fail to remove dangerous combustible cladding from tower blocks. Around 60 building owners and developers have received letters telling them that “enforcement action”... View Article

Budget fails to please housing chiefs

The Autumn Budget has united the leaders of organisations across the public and private sectors, who voiced their disappointment at the Chancellor’s failure to tackle problems in rented housing. David Smith, Policy Director for the Residential Landlords Association, said: “The... View Article

Landlord tax relief proposals revealed in Onward report

Landlords could be offered capital gains tax relief to encourage longer tenancies and sales to tenants in private rented housing. Conservative Think Tank, ‘Onward’ has revealed proposals for the tax relief to encourage landlords to sell to sitting tenants and... View Article

Prime Ministerial boost for social housing

Social housing has been given its biggest boost in decades as Theresa May makes solving the housing crisis her Government’s top domestic policy priority with a series of eye-catching announcements. The icing on the cake was the decision to scrap... View Article