Delivering Social Housing On A Budget

Between 2010 and 2015 local government faced upwards of £18bn in real terms cuts, losing on average 20% of its spending power. Meanwhile, social housing waiting lists are rising, local authorities are struggling to deliver their 5 year housing land supply and the Right to Buy uptake has overtaken the provision of new social housing. Faced with these problems, local authorities have increasingly turned to setting up arms-length commercial entities known as Housing Delivery Vehicles ("HDVs"). At their best, HDVs can allow public assets to be put to effective use to bring in revenue for struggling Councils and help to mitigate the housing crisis where there is a huge demand for affordable social housing that far outstrips supply. Read more on the Lexology website.

Right To Rent Checks In The Social Housing Sector Now In Force

The introduction of right to rent checks on 1 February 2016 has important implications for social housing providers. While common social housing tenancies will not require checks, the new regulations will change the residential letting landscape and all housing associations will need to develop a response. Tenancies arising under Part 2 of the Housing Act 1985 and Part 6 and 7 of the Housing Act 1996 are excluded. Occupation under such an agreement which is transferred to an alternative tenancy on the request of the tenant will also be excluded. These exclusions will clearly limit the impact on housing associations. However, where a housing association rents property under a market rate agreement or on any other basis, then right to rent checks will be required. Read more on the Lexology website.