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Confusion and fears in private sector as residents of one tower block are spared £2m bill

Friday, 8th June 2018

Residents of a private high-rise block in Croydon clad in similar panels to Grenfell Tower have been told they will not have to pay £2million to make their homes safe. Barratt Homes who built the Citiscape block has said it... View Article

New housing secretary of state appointed

Friday, 8th June 2018

The new Housing Secretary is James Brokenshire MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, situated between south east London and Kent. He replaces Sajid Javid who moved to the Home Office after almost two years in charge of the housing brief.... View Article

Fatal shortcomings at Grenfell Tower revealed in leaked report ahead of public inquiry resumption

Friday, 8th June 2018

A leaked report into the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire has revealed the shocking findings that all 72 deaths could have been prevented, as a catalogue of errors were made in the block’s refurbishment project. The report will inevitably... View Article

Government’s £400m repair fund is an opportunity to change our cladding culture, says Pura Facades

Friday, 8th June 2018

Prime minister May’s announcement last month (16 May 2018) to spend £400m on the refurbishment of 158 high rise buildings identified within England’s social housing estate has been widely welcomed by the construction industry and housing chiefs alike. However, the... View Article

Disabled man wins landmark discrimination case

Friday, 8th June 2018

A 64 year old London man with Multiple Sclerosis has won his claim of disability discrimination against a management company after it failed to make reasonable adjustments to enable him to use the leisure club at the block of flats... View Article

Act now to prevent another Grenfell tragedy

Thursday, 7th June 2018

London Assembly Members today (7th June) agreed a unanimous motion calling for further urgent safeguards for London residents, almost one year on from the devastating Grenfell fire. Seventy-two people died in the fire at the 24-storey tower block in North Kensington on... View Article

UK rents increase further, says May Homelet Rental Index Figures

Thursday, 7th June 2018

Figures from Homelet’s Rental Index May 2018 have been released. The headlines from this month’s report are: The average rent in the UK is now £919, up by 2 per cent on the same time last year When London is excluded, the... View Article

KMS evolution continues with new business development resource

Tuesday, 5th June 2018

High Wycombe, UK – KMS continues to grow by expanding the business development team with two new business development managers. As KMS continues to grow, they have been looking at the resource needed to continue providing the high level of... View Article

Sadiq calls for social housing tenant to be appointed as national Commissioner

Monday, 4th June 2018

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called on the Government to appoint a social housing tenant as a national Commissioner for Social Housing Residents. The Commissioner would act as a watchdog for social housing policy and ensure the voices... View Article

New phase of shared ownership homes gets buyers on the ladder in Chelmsford

Monday, 4th June 2018

According to a recent report, budding first time buyers looking to purchase their first home could face over 11 years of saving for a deposit. Aspiring purchasers keen to step onto the property ladder sooner rather than later in Chelmsford,... View Article

Fact of the Week – 4th June 2018

Monday, 4th June 2018

The great Gothic cathedral of Milan was started in 1386, and wasn’t completed until... View Article

Councils have failed to spend £375 million on new housing

Thursday, 31st May 2018

Councils across England have been accused of hoarding hundreds of millions of pounds earmarked for affordable homes, according to research undertaken by HuffPost UK. The news media firm found more than £375m was sitting in councils’ bank accounts instead of... View Article

Contrasting fortunes for landlords in grading changes

Thursday, 31st May 2018

Several large associations experienced the joy of receiving top grades from the social housing regulator, while several others suffered downgrades as a result of concerns over their current and future financial performance. Clarion, the country’s largest housing association with 123,000... View Article

Is it too dangerous to be a DIY landlord?

Thursday, 31st May 2018

The Buy to Let property boom over the past decade has seen a flood of new landlords enter the market. But with over 145 individual laws and more than 400 regulations to follow, it is surprisingly easy for even the... View Article

Surveyor fined after failing to detect asbestos

Thursday, 31st May 2018

A specialist asbestos company has been fined after failing to detect asbestos at a housing association owned demolition site, and issuing an incorrect and misleading report. Greater Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard EAS Asbestos Limited were commissioned to conduct refurbishment and... View Article

Letting agency industry “badly needs professionalising”

Thursday, 31st May 2018

Plans to reform and regulate the work of letting agents could finally mean they serve their crucial purpose in the sector, according to Chartered Institute of Housing policy and practice officer David Pipe. The letting agency industry is a sector... View Article

Government crack down on rogue landlords begins

Thursday, 31st May 2018

The Government has finally launched its long awaited crackdown on rogue landlords, with a national database to monitor offenders going live and tough new banning orders introduced. It is part of a raft of measures designed to drive up standards... View Article

Liberty Group joins forces with construction firm as national growth continues

Thursday, 31st May 2018

Liberty Group, which provides high quality property services, has joined forces with construction firm ForWorks. The two businesses will operate as one company from June 2018. The new £80m turnover company will retain the Liberty name and employ more than... View Article

Southern Housing Group announces appointment of new Chief Executive

Tuesday, 29th May 2018

After a rigorous recruitment process, the Board of Southern Housing Group, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, is unanimous in its appointment of Alan Townshend (currently Group Development Director) as the new Chief Executive to succeed Tom Dacey on... View Article

Quote fo the Week – 28th May 2018

Monday, 28th May 2018

“Architecture is reaching out for the truth.” – Louis... View Article