Government Urged To ‘Rip Up’ Housing Policy To Help Grenfell Survivors

Jayesh Kunwardia, partner at London law firm Hodge Jones & Allen says he has become “increasingly concerned” that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has yet to explain how its current homelessness policy will apply to the hundreds of people it now has to house. He says: “I’ve already spoken to a number of former Grenfell Tower residents who have refused RBKC’s offer of temporary accommodation outside of the borough and have opted to stay with family or friends instead. “However, by doing so, this means that under the council’s current policy, RBKC could now refuse to accept a duty to house them under the Housing Act as they have made themselves “intentionally homeless. Read more on 24housing.

Two More Selective Licensing Consultations

A year after their first licensing consultation and only a month after their second, Manchester City Council have started another Selective Licensing Consultation. Selective Licensing applies to all private rented sector houses that are not licensed under HMO licensing. An area may be designated for selective licensing either (i) if the area is (or is likely to be) an area of low housing demand or (ii) the area is experiencing a significant and persistent problem caused by anti social behaviour that local authorities attribute to private sector landlords failing to take action to combat against unruly tenants. The holders of the licence will be required to comply with licensing conditions, some of which are mandatorily imposed by the Housing Act, and local licensing conditions from the council itself.  Read more on the RLA website.

New Campaign To Help Veterans In Council Housing

A new campaign is being set up to stop the “bias” against veterans getting council housing. Former housing minister Grant Shapps is the founder of the group, called Homes for Heroes Foundation,  aiming to ensure the best housing is available to veterans within the next four years, to coincide with 100 years since the original homes for heroes Housing Act was passed. The investigation into the campaign will find council housing priority is given to those with a strong local connection to the area and on the council waiting list. The campaign evidence suggests there could be a failing to apply statutory government guidance on prioritising veterans on social housing waiting lists.  Read more on 24dash.

Tenants Serve Transfer Notice on Council

Council tenants on two estates facing demolition have served notice of plans to transfer the homes into community ownership, as they seek to halt a controversial £8bn regeneration scheme. The regeneration of the area surrounding the Earls Court Exhibition Centre by developer Capco has been opposed by residents of nearby West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates since it was first approved in 2011. The tenants have notified the council of their intention to transfer the homes into community ownership under Section 34 of the Housing Act. The legislation forces councils to cooperate with tenants’ stock transfer requests. However, under the rules, the council can object to ministers if it “can show clear evidence of a significant detrimental effect on the local authority’s ability to provide housing”. Read more on Inside Housing.