Social Rented Housing – Parliamentary Written Answer

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish regulations on local Tenancy Strategies in relation to the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

Dominic Raab: [Holding answer 25 June 2018]: The Housing and Planning Act 2016 introduced changes to local authority tenancies by making it mandatory for most new council tenancies to be for a fixed term. Regulations and statutory guidance are necessary to implement the fixed term tenancy provisions in the Housing and Planning Act and the next steps will be set out in due course.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-06-20/155938

Housing Associations Reclassified As Private Organisations By The ONS

The Secretary of State has confirmed that the Office of National Statistics (ONS) is formally reclassifying housing associations as private organisations. The change follows deregulatory measures in the Housing and Planning Act that aimed to address ONS concerns about the level of government involvement in the housing association sector. This is a welcome recognition of housing associations as independent social businesses with a shared purpose of building quality homes that everyone can afford. It reinforces the independence of boards and will allow us to secure the long-term finance needed to build more homes, delivering our ambition to drive up supply. Read more on the NHF website.

ALMOs Have ‘Aspirations’ To Build New Homes

Getting all sections of the housing sector to build is one of the main aims of the Housing White Paper unveiled by government. Not to be left behind, many ALMOs are embarking on build programmes in a bid to improve their local area. Your Homes Newcastle are hoping to build just over 400 units by 2020/2021 and have said that despite policy setbacks, such as the rent reduction and impacts of the Housing and Planning Act, they have found ways to get funding. The largest developing ALMO is Nottingham City Homes (NCH) and they are looking to further that by building over 900 homes to improve Nottingham. Read more on 24housing.

Social Landlords Fund Research Into Universal Credit

A London council has commissioned independent research into the effects of Universal Credit on social housing tenants. Peabody Trust, Family Mosaic and Croydon Council have backed the council’s decision to commission research on the impact of Universal Credit (UC) and will all pay towards the costs. Labour-led Southwark Council said the full roll-out of Universal Credit in some parts of the borough, coupled with changes made through the Housing and Planning Act, has represented “an onslaught on social housing – and on council tenants in particular”. The research will cost £56,250, with Peabody, Family Mosaic and Croydon Council contributing £22,500. The Smith Institute has been commissioned to carry out the research. Read more on Inside Housing.

Housing: Construction – Parliamentary Written Answer

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what support he has provided to local authorities and the construction industry to encourage the promotion of self-build schemes for constructing new homes.

Gavin Barwell:We have a strong commitment to supporting and encouraging the growth of self- and custom build homes. The Government has implemented new legislation requiring most local planning authorities to hold and have regard to registers for those seeking to build their own home in a local authority area. Subject to Parliamentary processes, in the Autumn we will also introduce secondary legislation flowing from the Housing and Planning Act 2016 which will require local planning authorities to find and give permission to suitable land reflecting the demand demonstrated by the registers. We have made available £32 million in new burdens funding over the Spending Review period in order to support local planning authorities in meeting these new requirements. In the 2015 Spending Review, the Government also announced a £3 billion loan fund of which £1 billion is specifically earmarked for short term loans to support small and medium builders and custom build projects and is designed to provide further support for the legislation that we have introduced.

The Housing Act: A Neoliberal Policy Too Far?

There are examples of government policies and initiatives that unravel almost before they’re unveiled. The Housing and Planning Act could soon be added to the list. This ill-conceived, iniquitous legislation could collapse under the weight of its own nonsense and our refusal to accept yet another attack on public services and working-class communities. According to the government’s timetable, the Act should be implemented next April. It’s not going to happen. Amid political turmoil, the legislation is due to return to Parliament, but not until after the summer recess. Pressure inside and outside the Commons brought some concessions to the original Bill, but privately, local councils, including Tory-controlled authorities, are describing the policy as an “administrative nightmare” and are very worried about its potential impact. Read more on the Morning Star website.

The Housing And Planning Act Is A Direct Attack On Local Government

Back in 2009, David Cameron said his party would give local councils much more power and responsibility. This agenda was the basis of the 2011 Localism Act. But those reforms have been shattered by the 2016 Housing and Planning Act. The end to lifetime council tenancies, the pay-to-stay rule increasing rents for council tenants earning more than £40,000, and provisions to force local authorities to sell off their high-value homes, will effectively kill off council housing. The extension of right-to-buy privileges to housing associations also threatens to cause a wider decline in affordable housing. But this is not just about housing. The new Act also has immediate implications for local democracy, by giving no fewer than 32 new powers to the secretary of state for housing. This means local authorities face further financial pressures and will lose vital powers once granted by the Localism Act. Read more on the Guardian website.

Kerslake Urges Ministers To Revise View Of Social Housing

The former head of the civil service has called on ministers to change their view of social housing. Lord Kerslake has issued a stinging criticism of the government’s housing policy. The peer said his advice to ministers was that they should hold back on implementing the housing and planning act in full, given the current national situation.“If they’re rational, the government will put some housing bill policies on the backburner.” He added: “Estate renewal has great potential but we can’t just bulldoze in there and think residents will be happy.” The peer defended communities secretary Greg Clark, saying he had been “lumbered with ridiculous policies”. Read more on 24dash.

Abandonment A Problem For Third Of Landlords

36 per cent of landlords in the UK have had property abandoned by tenants before, according to new figures. Abandonment occurs when a tenant moves out of a property before the tenancy has ended, without informing their landlord. The issue can be costly as it often occurs when outstanding rent is owed. However, the tenant still has a legal right to return and take up residence at any time and it is a criminal offence for landlords to do anything to prevent the continuation of the tenancy. The only option for a landlord is to go through the legal process for regaining possession of an abandoned property which can take months. The Housing and Planning Act will create a new process to deal with the issue, giving landlords far greater security and peace of mind when recovering  properties they believe to have been abandoned. Read more on the NLA website.  

The Housing And Planning Act 2016 – What It Means For ALMOs

Now it’s been passed, what does the Housing and Planning Act 2016 mean for ALMOs and their councils? Well in many ways we still don’t really know.  This is because much of the detail is still to be set out in regulations, which are expected over the summer.  But from what we do know already there are a number of worrying impacts on ALMOs, their councils and the communities they serve.

·         The forced sale of higher value voids

·         Pay to stay compulsory for council tenants

·         Phasing out of lifetime tenancies

·         ALMOs as Registered Providers

Read more details on 24dash.

Housing and Planning Bill Receives Royal Assent

New measures to help more people buy their own home and get houses built faster has become law as the Housing and Planning Act received Royal Assent. The Act sets out a clear determination from the government to keep the country building while giving hard working families every opportunity to unlock the door to home ownership. It will give housebuilders and decision-makers the tools and confidence to provide more homes and further streamline the planning system to accelerate their delivery. Rad more on the Gov UK website.