High Court To Hear Crowdfunded Challenge To 'Begging Fines'

A landmark high court case will determine whether fines for begging, loitering and leaving bedding in doorways unfairly targets homeless people, after a fundraising campaign for legal costs reached its target. Lawyers for Sarah Ward, who lives in Poole, will outline their challenge on Monday to a public space protection order (PSPO) in the town centre which prohibits obstructing doorways, sitting with a receptacle “for the purpose of begging” and other behaviour associated with homelessness. People found to have violated the order are liable to a £100 spot fine, which can rise to £1,000 if left unpaid, and receive a summary conviction. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/nov/04/high-court-to-hear-crowdfunded-challenge-to-begging-fines

15% Drop In Number Of Advertised Buy-To-Lets

A property crowdfunding business has expressed concern that a shortage of new buy-to-let properties is in the offing, after revealing a sharp drop in the number being advertised in August. Property Partner claims that the number of new buy-to-let properties being advertised in August fell 15% compared to the previous month across 87.6% of the UK’s major towns and cities.In most areas, there was a “significant” fall in new rental properties advertised. Of the major English cities, London saw new rental property listings down 16.4% between July and August. While, in Manchester and Birmingham, new rental ads fell 18.4% and 16% respectively. Read more on the Housing Excellence website.

£38bn Of Empty Properties In England

More than 203,000 homes – to an estimated value of £38bn – are now termed ‘long term empty’. According to research by property crowdfunding platform Property Planner, London alone has some 20,915 homes sat idle for over six months in 2015 – the equivalent to almost £12.4bn worth of empty property. Newham, one of the capital’s most deprived boroughs, has the worst problem with 1,318 unoccupied properties. Read more on 24dash.

Generation Rent Lives To Fight Another Day

Generation Rent has raised enough money to keep campaigning for private renters across the UK, amassing nearly £18,000 in donations. A month ago our future looked very bleak, with no guarantee that we would be able to survive past September. The team here has thrown everything we had at fundraising and we have been humbled by the response.  Since we launched our emergency crowdfunding campaign at the end of July, 371 people have donated a total of £17,982. With our grant from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust of £45,500, these funds allow us to continue our work in London and nationally with a team of two: director Betsy Dillner and communications manager Dan Wilson Craw.  Read more on the Generation Rent website.

Generation Rent Awarded £45k Grant

Generation Rent has been awarded a grant from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd to fund its London campaign it has announced. The grant of £45,500 will support Generation Rent’s campaign for rent controls ahead of the Greater London elections in 2016. The Trust exists to correct imbalances of power and strengthen the hand of organisations striving for reform. As the grant is intended for Generation Rent's London work, it does not count towards the organisation's wider crowdfunding campaign, which seeks to raise £60,000 by 31 August. Read more on the Generation Rent website.

Generation Rent Faces 'Oblivion' After Funding Cut

The campaigning group has made a name for itself in the national media as the voice for young renters, but faces a struggle to secure its future. It has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £60,000 by the end of August after backer the Nationwide Foundation ‘unexpectedly’ pulled the plug on £166,300 of funding, according to Generation Rent. The group said the funding had been due to run through to spring 2016, but was pulled over concerns that it had not done enough to secure its financial future as it campaigned during the general election. If its crowdfunding bid fails, the group will be forced to lay off its staff and will cease to function. Read more on the Generation Rent website.

Social Housing Solar PV Scheme Is Europe’s Largest Crowd-Funded Venture

Two renewable energy companies from Yorkshire and Scotland have embarked on a partnership to deliver what is claimed to be Europe’s largest ever crowd-funded solar energy project. Oakapple Renewable Energy (ORE), based in Leeds, is working with Glasgow-based Edison Energy to install up to 794 roof-mounted solar PV systems with a total capacity of 2,595 kW for Berwickshire Housing Association (BHA), in the Scottish Borders. The £3.1 million scheme will roll out over four months and will be installed on houses across Berwickshire helping to reduce tenants’ energy bills by as much as 30% without any cost to them, the partners said. Read more on the Housing Excellence website.