Midlands tower blocks to be demolished

Hundreds of high-rise homes are to be demolished in Birmingham and Rugby as a result of decisions to knock down seven tower blocks. In Birmingham the council is demolishing five large panel system tower blocks as part of a £43.3m... View Article

Calls to end banks’ discrimination against tenants on benefits

An influential private landlords’ group is demanding urgent Government action to tackle discrimination against benefit claimants by buy-to-let mortgage providers. It follows news that a landlord had her mortgage revoked because she is renting to a benefit claimant. The Residential... View Article

Bespoke qualification professionalises housing experience

A major social landlord is using £100,000 from the Apprenticeship Levy to fund a new bespoke qualification in housing, helping experienced staff to back up their on-the-ground experience with a nationally recognised certificate. The first cohort of students at Sovereign... View Article

The scandal of empty homes exposed

The number of long-term empty homes in England has risen for the first time since 2008 and now stands at more than 205,000 vacant properties across the country. Figures collated by the Empty Homes charity from local authority council tax... View Article

Lords welcome launch of new Property Guardian trade group

Seven of the UK’s leading property guardian firms have come together to form the sector’s first trade association to lead on safety and standards, to represent and promote the industry, and to foster best practice. The Property Guardian Providers Association... View Article

Social housing landlords get £248m for cladding removal

Almost £250 million has been allocated to 43 social housing landlords to pay for the removal and replacement of unsafe combustible aluminium composite material cladding from 135 high-rise tower blocks. This is the first tranche of money to be released... View Article

Construction companies fined over asbestos work

Companies in Bristol and Manchester have been prosecuted for failing to follow safe working working practices on the removal of asbestos from buildings. A Bristol-based construction company was sentenced for carrying out unlicensed asbestos work. Bristol Magistrates’ Court heard how,... View Article

Enfield’s MOT for social housing properties

A new scheme to improve the standard of social housing, reduce repair costs and provide a better service for residents is being launched by Enfield Council in north London. Dedicated ‘Property MOT’ teams will visit social housing properties in the... View Article

More PRS landlords are seeing their tenants in arrears

Almost two-thirds of private landlords with tenants receiving Universal Credit have experienced them falling into rent arrears. Based on responses from more than 2,200 landlords, the Residential Landlords Association found that 61 per cent of landlords with tenants on UC... View Article

Almost 50 student blocks still covered in Grenfell-style cladding

Thousands of university students have started the Autumn term staying in accommodation which is covered in combustible cladding according to official figures. Forty-seven residential blocks reserved for students remain clad in aluminium composite material similar to that which helped spread... View Article

Right to buy is costing councils £300 million a year

Total right to buy discounts have climbed to £1 billion a year – leading to a net loss of some £300 million to local authorities, according to new analysis from the Chartered Institute of Housing. Cutting the discounts available could... View Article

East Anglian HA given governance downgrade

A 4,000-home housing association has been warned by the social housing regulator that it needs to strengthen its risk management and internal controls after its governance rating was downgraded. Orwell HA manages properties across Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge and Essex. It... View Article

Bellway to replace cladding on two developments

One of the country’s biggest housebuilders has agreed to meet the full costs of replacing combustible cladding on tower blocks in Cardiff and London, ending months of uncertainty for hundreds of householders. Bellway has set aside £5.9m to replace the... View Article