Guide For Tenants On Raising Safety Issues In Tower Blocks

A new website has been created by tower block safety campaigners to give residents advice on how to get safety issues fixed. FixMyBlock.org is the first self-help service targeted at tower block residents. It has been set up in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire and the associated discovery of safety issues in thousands of buildings nationwide. It offers social housing tenants an explanation of their rights and provides template letters to be sent to landlords or other authorities. Read more on Inside Housing.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/guide-for-tenants-on-raising-safety-issues-in-tower-blocks-published--67621?utm_source=Housing60&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article_link&utm_campaign=H60 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance For Landlords And Tenants

Non-statutory guidance for landlords and tenants in the private and social rented sectors on:

1. Measures relating to notices seeking possession as amended by the Coronavirus Act 2020

2. Court action on possession cases during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

3. Property access and health and safety obligations in the context of Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions

Download the guidance from the GovUK website.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876500/Consolidated_Landlord_and_Tenant_Guidance_COVID_and_the_PRS_v4.2.pdf

Universal Credit: Landlord Guidance Update

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has refreshed the guidance on Universal Credit to help landlords understand how to manage tenants who are reliant on the payments in order to meet their rental obligations. The guidance provides landlords with a summarised overview of how they can navigate issues relating to Managed Payment to Landlord (MPTL), Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) and recovering rents arrears from a Universal Credit claim. For landlords, the guide is a one-stop shop that can help them deal with issues that can arise from different stages of a tenancy and it signposts them to various resources that can help them support their tenants. Read more on the NLA website.

https://landlords.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/universal-credit-landlord-guidance-update

DWP Guidance On Understanding Universal Credit

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released a Housing Queries Routeway to help landlords resolve issues regarding Universal Credit. The document includes links to online information and telephone numbers for special support.

The online support information provides:

·         General information for landlords

·         Alternative Payment Arrangements and deductions

·         Third party payments guidance

·         Newsletter

Read more on the NLA website.

https://landlords.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/dwp-guidance-on-understanding-universal-credit

Updated Right To Rent Check Guidance

Guidance on conducting right to rent checks on nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA who have entered the UK through eGates as visitors has been updated. Nationals of these countries may enter the UK using eGates and will not have their passports endorsed by a Border Force Officer on arrival. Those coming for more than six months will have a visa and will receive a biometric residence permit after arrival. Those entering as visitors do not require a visa and will not have UK stamps placed in their passport but will have a right to remain in the UK for six months and are entitled to rent property for this period. Read more on the ARLA website.

https://www.arla.co.uk/news/october-2019/updated-right-to-rent-check-guidance/

New Guidance Launched To Help Unlock Land For Homes

A guide on how investors and developers can secure a share of a multi-million-pound fund to help unlock land for homes and jobs is due to be launched by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Building the Future – a guide to the combined authority’s Single Commissioning Framework sets out what developers can do to win funding earmarked by the WMCA to re-commence stalled developments across the region. The guide is aimed at making the process for securing finance clearer and easier and will see the WMCA working with developers to find ways for the schemes to support the authority’s “key economic and social goals”. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/new-guidance-launched-to-help-unlock-land-for-homes/

Updated How To Rent Guide

The Government has now officially released information on the amendments to the How to Rent guide - the checklist for renting in England. This update means that landlords and letting agents must make sure that new tenants or those renewing, issue the correct version of the guide. Outline of changes to How to Rent guide:

·         Updated links to the GOV.UK client money protection scheme web page.

·         The ‘before you start’ section updated to clarify Shelter’s advisory role.

·         Corrected to reflect the re-branding of National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) to Safeagent.

Download the Guide from the GovUK website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent?utm_source=2cf8c9d8-d50d-4da0-b0e5-7736379b9ad3&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

Right To Rent Guidance Breaks The Law

New guidance from the government on its Right to Rent scheme would see landlords breaking the law if they followed it.  The document says that for nationals from certain countries, planning on staying in the UK for up to six months, landlords will only be required to see their passport and airline ticket as proof that they can rent property. Whilst this guidance has no legal standing, the legally binding Code of Practice agreed by Parliament makes clear that for such nationals landlords must be shown clear evidence from the Home Office that the holder has the right, either permanent, or for a time limited period, to reside in the UK. A simple airline ticket with a passport does not meet this threshold.  Read more on the RLA website.

https://news.rla.org.uk/rent-to-rent-guidance-breaks-the-law/

New Guidance For Local Authorities To Crack Down On Rogue Landlords

Local authorities across the country are set to receive a new package of online support as part of the government’s commitment to give greater protection to tenants, and reform the private rented sector for the better. The publication of 2 new guidance documents, one for local authority enforcement practitioners and another for tenants and landlords, signals the latest step in the government cracking down on the small minority of criminal landlords who exploit tenants for their own gains. Local authority enforcement officers play a crucial role in making sure people in rented accommodation have somewhere safe and secure to live. Read more on the GovUK website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/housing-minister-unveils-new-guidance-for-local-authorities-to-crack-down-on-rogue-landlords

Domestic Abuse Victims To Have Priority For Social Housing

Domestic abuse victims should be made a priority for social housing, amid concerns that women and children fleeing abusers are being forced to live in unsafe temporary accommodation. Under updated statutory guidance the government is calling on councils to ensure that victims in refuges and other temporary housing are prioritised for social housing places. This would help victims feel more settled and also free up refuge spaces for other victims, the guidance states. The move follows a report by Women's Aid in June, which found that women and children fleeing domestic violence are being forced to sleep rough or "sofa surf" due to a lack of support from councils. Read more on the CYPN website.

https://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/2006064/domestic-abuse-victims-to-have-priority-for-social-housing

New Right To Rent Guidance For Commonwealth Citizens Is Inadequate

Updated guidance that has been published by the Government on Right to Rent checks for those who are Commonwealth citizens does not provide clarity for landlords. The updated guidance has been published to benefit landlords who wish to rent private residential property out in England to Commonwealth citizens (known as Windrush cases) who are long-term residents of the UK but do not have documents to demonstrate their status. It explains their position and gives details of a helpline for landlords to call if they are concerned about a prospective tenants’ ability to evident their right to rent. Read more on the RLA website.

https://news.rla.org.uk/new-right-to-rent-guidance-for-commonwealth-citizens-lacks-clarity/

Private Rented Housing: Tenants – Parliamentary Written Answer

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that private tenants are aware of their rights.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Government already produces a range information and advice for prospective and existing tenants. To improve the information available, we have created and updated a series of consumer-focused online ‘how to’ guides. These guides will help educate and empower potential or existing renters, landlords and property agents so they are confident in making informed decisions and know where to go for support. They will help tenants, landlords and property agents to understand their rights and responsibilities by providing a single source of information for rules, regulations and advice. We plan to publish the new and updated guides on Gov.uk shortly.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-02-06/126786

DWP Guidance On Advance Payments

The DWP has issued revised guidance on advance payments to claimants of Universal Credit. Download it from the DWP website.

Government Actions A Further Step In Homeless Prevention

New guidance to make sure local authorities intervene earlier to help prevent families and individuals becoming homeless in the first place has been published. The guidance, which is subject to an 8-week consultation, sets out how local councils should implement the Homelessness Reduction Act, due to come into effect in April 2018. The new Act requires councils to provide services to all at risk of becoming homeless, on top of those with a priority need such as families with children and those who are vulnerable. Read more on the CLG website.

Universal Credit Is A Social Policy Disaster In The Making

Universal credit is the biggest change to our welfare system in 40 years. By the time it has been fully rolled out in 2022 it will potentially affect 8 million people across the UK. The rollout so far has been controversial, and fraught with difficulties. Social housing organisations, in which only around 2.6% of tenants are currently claiming universal credit, have been hit particularly hard by the speed and scale of the change. In August 2017 the DWP released a guide for landlords, in a bid to explain what the changes will mean and how they can support their tenants. Unfortunately, it made little to no mention of how to deal with the slew of administrative issues, faults and delays, which have already caused hardship for so many claimants. Read more on the Guardian website.

Councils Have ‘Urgent’ Concerns Over Homelessness Reduction Act Delays

Sir Steve Bullock, executive member for housing at London Councils and mayor of Lewisham Council, said in a letter to homelessness minister Marcus Jones that with only seven months until the Homelessness Reduction Act comes into force, councils are still waiting for “much delayed information”. This includes a promised code of guidance from government and “detailed” funding allocations, he said. London Councils has said if the guidance and allocations are not published soon, the act should be delayed until September 2018. Read more on Inside Housing.

DWP Publishes Universal Credit Guidance

The DWP has published a guidebook for landlords to help them prepare for the roll-out of Universal Credit. The guidance, published today, says: “Social landlords may need to look at how and when they collect their rent, and the level of support some tenants will need to make the transition to a single, direct monthly payment.” It adds that landlords can prepare for Universal Credit’s introduction by:

·         Familiarising themselves with the changes

·         Considering how they might need to adapt their policies and processes

·         Engaging with tenants early, to start assessing needs, making sure they understand their responsibilities and the support available

Download the guidebook from the DWP website.

Cladding Crisis Deepens As 181 Towers Fail Tests

The deepening national crisis has left the onus on councils and building owners to decide whether they should remove cladding rather than receiving any expert Government advice. Now the advisory body headed by Sir Ken Knight, the former government chief fire and rescue adviser, aims to set out clearer guidance for owners and the industry. The move comes as 181 tower blocks in 51 local authority areas are now known to have failed fire cladding safety tests. This new total represent a 100% of all panels tested as part of the national safety operation to identify buildings with cladding similar to Grenfell tower. Read more on Construction Enquirer.

Guidance For Housing And NSIPs

The government has published guidance confirming the details of measures that will see major infrastructure projects that include up to 500 homes considered as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). This follows regulations about such schemes being laid before Parliament. The guidance covers changes to the Planning Act 2008 made by section 160 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016, which received Royal Assent in May last year. The guidance states that the government wants to ensure that the flexibility being provided to allow an element of housing to be consented under the 2008 Act “does not undermine the local planning process and the wider responsibilities for local authorities to plan for housing needs in their area”. Read more on the Planning Portal.

Data Protection Guide For Social Housing Landlords

HouseMark has partnered with Anthony Collins Solicitors to jointly publish a comprehensive guide to data protection and privacy, designed specifically for the sector. The guide will support landlords to:

–          Achieve legal and regulatory compliance

–          Examine the ethical issues surrounding data privacy

–          Realise the business benefits to be gained by building trust with tenants through the adoption of a fair and transparent approach to the collection and use of their data. The guide will assist tenants by providing clear information about their rights in relation to the protection of their privacy. Download a copy from HouseMark.