New HCA Standards Scrapped

Grant Shapps has announced that the Government will not introduce the new Core Housing Design and Sustainability standards proposed for homes built with public funding or on public sector land. These had been predicted to add £8,000 to the average cost of each new affordable home. Instead, the Government will develop a new Local Standards Framework to replace the additional building standards and codes that have been attached to planning permissions. In the meantime, existing HCA standards, including the HQI system, Code 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and Building for Life requirements, will continue to apply to new affordable housing. Read more on the NHF website.

How to Develop Your Local Offer for the Home Standard

Date: 16 November 2010 Location: HouseMark, Coventry

With the Home Standard featuring high on the agenda for many tenants, this interactive workshop will help you stay on track to meet regulatory and tenant expectations for repairs services. HouseMark has been working with a range of organisations to help get their local offers in place so we have first-hand experience and understanding of how such approaches might work particularly around repairs. Your plans for developing local offers have to be in place by 1 October 2010 and to have these offers in place by April 2011. Find full details on the HouseMark website.

TSA Deadline Missed as Regulator is Axed

The TSA is threatening to name and shame the 15 per cent of landlords who have failed to publish local standards plans by the 1 October deadline.  The regulator said it would publish a list of landlords who have failed to publish an annual report for their tenants. One report that is due to be published on schedule is the government’s outline of the future of social housing regulation, expected on Monday (18 October). The CLG launched the review in June after housing minister Grant Shapps announced he would scrap the regulator.  A statutory regulatory committee will ensure scrutiny of social landlords remains independent.  The regulatory framework, which includes the local standards, will remain largely the same, with a stronger local emphasis on tenants holding landlords to account. A source close to the TSA said the new regulator would now act ‘as a backstop’.  Read the full story on Inside Housing.