Survey Shows Extent To Which Housing Costs Limit Lives

Research reveals extent to which housing costs are undermining lives. Innovation and property specialist the Engen Group – which focuses on addressing environmental challenges such as affordable and sustainable housing – says its stats show over a third of people are paying too much in housing costs. Younger people and women are the most likely to suffer. Engen’s research suggests the problem of affordable housing in the UK is becoming worse as 38% of people said they have spent more of their income on housing costs over the past 12 months, compared to 8% who say they have spent less. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/survey-shows-extent-to-which-housing-costs-limit-lives/

Sustainable Buildings Pay In Terms Of Rent And Occupancy

A new study draws a direct correlation between green building certification and increased financial benefits to property owners. Results of a 10-year study of 300 U.S. and Canadian office buildings by one of the largest commercial building owners/managers in the U.S., Bentall Kennedy, compared buildings with and without certification and supported findings of previous studies. With extended datasets that covered tangible metrics on energy and financial performance, including rent and occupancy, the study also included data on a range of other measures that included lease renewal rates and tenant satisfaction. Key findings were that:

·         Investment in making buildings more sustainable pays for itself with higher rents, higher occupancy, and more lease renewals; and

·         Sustainability certification matters to tenants.

Read more on the Sustainable Homes website.

20 Ways To Tackle The Housing Crisis

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has set out its key recommendations for dealing with the UK’s dire housing crisis. With a new government and the leave result of the EU referendum, it’s more vital than ever to ensure design quality isn’t comprised as we ramp up the construction industry to keep Britain’s economy growing and build much needed new homes. The new policy document, ‘Housing Matters: #20ways to tackle the housing crisis’, advocates better use of public resources and public sector land, more locally-made decisions, greater focus on good design, increased support for new types of housing development, sustainable and resilient homes and a more transparent housing market. Download a copy of the recommendations from the RIBA website.

A Small Win For Energy Efficiency: Tenants Can Now Request Improvements

The 1st of April was a small step forward for energy efficiency: tenants in private rented accommodation now have the right to request energy efficiency improvements. There are numerous caveats, even loopholes. Nevertheless, where a tenant requests their landlord’s consent to making energy efficiency improvements to the landlord’s property, subject to certain requirements and exemptions, the landlord ‘may not unreasonably refuse consent’. This precedes a more significant change from 2018 when it will become illegal for very poor quality (EPC band ‘F’ and ‘G’) properties to be let – albeit with more conditions and exemptions attached. Read more on the Sustainable Homes website.

Impacts Of Right To Buy On Housing Association Tenants

In July 2015, the Government confirmed the introduction of RTB level discounts for housing association tenants. The funding to compensate them should be made available by the forced sale of higher value local authority properties when they become vacant. Government intends that sold off stock will be replaced on a one-for-one basis. Importantly though, the replacement stock will not necessarily be of the same tenure as the housing it replaces.  A JRF report investigated the impacts of these policies under three scenarios:

1: Replacements built within three years and let at the same rents as the stock it replaced

2: Replacements built within three years and is let at Affordable Rents.

3: Replacements built for sale as shared ownership.

Although 1.3 million housing association tenants are gaining the RTB, JRF estimates that only around 180,000 of these appear to be able to afford to exercise this. Read more on the Sustainable Homes website.

All-Party Parliamentary Group to Tackle National Housing Emergency

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is taking a lead role in supporting a new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Housing and Planning. The APPG for Housing and Planning, will be chaired by James Cartlidge, Conservative MP for South Suffolk, and is tasked with recommending wide-ranging, innovative solutions to reshape the housing market. The APPG will consider increasing the housing stock for both rental and private ownership, and speeding up building of sustainable housing in the UK, which now faces an annual shortfall of 130,000 homes. The APPG consists of MPs from a range of urban and rural constituencies. Read more on the RICS website.

Energy Efficiency Progress on Social Homes Stalls

Progress in making social homes more energy efficient has stalled after radical cutbacks in the amount energy companies contribute to works, a new report has found. Consultancy Sustainable Homes has reviewed the environmental performance of 66 social landlords to reveal the average energy efficiency rating is the same now as it was in 2012. It attributed this ‘in large part’ to changes made to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme under which the target for insulation work funded by energy companies was cut back by a third – with many landlords axing schemes as a result. The Sustainable Homes review reveals the average SAP rating of around one million social homes has dipped from 70.9 to 70.3. Read more on Inside Housing.

New Sustainable Home Building Standard Is Announced

After over a year of disruption since government announced “winding down” of the Code for Sustainable Homes, a new home building standard has finally been announced.  It is called the Home Quality Mark (HQM) and is being developed by BRE. HQM is intended to be a mark of reassurance and quality for people who will live in a new build home.  The quality is rated using a five star system and three further value indicators namely environmental, economic and, crucially, well-being.  Read more on the Sustainable Homes website.

Can We Afford Not To Build Sustainable Homes?

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published new research into the cost of building more sustainable housing. It asked if sustainable homes could be built more cheaply, and compared a range of approaches. The research found that building more energy efficient homes costs between 2.5% and 12.9% more per dwelling. The key question is not can we afford to build sustainable homes, but can we afford not to? The long term consequences of allowing our existing stock to remain energy inefficient outweigh the costs of addressing them now.  Download a copy of the report from the JRF website.

Tenants Trust Social Landlords for Advice on Energy Savings

The study by the not-for-profit consultancy Sustainable Homes for the Department of Energy and Climate Change has found associations managing property are in the best position to offer help, ahead of energy charities and family and friends. It also revealed that people struggle to make sense of their bills: 75% of those questioned for the study saying they had difficulty understanding them. More than one-third said they were confused by heating controls. The survey of 300 people was conducted as part of the National Energy Study, which was undertaken with 14 housing associations and 500 households last winter to look at energy use within the home. Download the report from the Sustainable Homes website.

DECC Research Shows Link between EPC Rating & House Prices

Not only do energy efficiency measures such as wall insulation, double glazing and energy efficient boilers help reduce energy bills, they also contribute towards higher resale values. A study, compiled by DECC, found that dwellings that were rated with an EPC of D were sold for 8% more than those with a G, and ratings of A/B were sold for 14 per cent more than the lowest rated houses. The report shows that there is a positive relationship on the effect of EPC’s ratings on house prices. It analysed repeat sale transactions from 325,950 dwellings in England from 1995 to 2011. Sale prices were taken into consideration along with dwelling attributes, detailed information on the EPC ratings and a multitude of socio-economic variables. Read more and download the report on the Sustainable Homes website.

£1m HCA Funding Boost for New Council Homes

The HCA has put £980,000 in funding towards plans for 70 new council homes in Lenton, Nottingham.  The purpose-built independent living scheme, which includes 54 flats and 16 bungalows, will form part of Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Homes’ (NCH) plans for Lenton’s regeneration. The cash was awarded this week through the HCA’s Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund.  Each property will be built as a Code 4 Sustainable Home, offering a reduced carbon footprint and lowered energy bills for tenants. They will also meet lifetime home standards, making sure they have adequate space for wheelchairs and other adaptations that may be needed as tenants get older.  Read more on 24dash.

Registered Providers Pivotal To Green Deal Success

The HCA and Sustainable Homes have published Dealing Green: Options for Registered Providers, designed to help the sector realise the benefits of the Green Deal for their business and their residents. The guide sets out options for how Registered Providers and local authorities can get involved in the government’s Green Deal initiative to make 14m homes more energy efficient by 2020.  As part of its enabling role the HCA has supported the guide so that it can inform Registered Providers and help them best take advantage of the Green Deal. Both the Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) are described in the guide, as are the implications for providers of social housing.  The guide also outlines the key decisions that they need to make, and suggests the risks and advantages attached.  Download a copy of the report from the HCA website.