Bolton fire
On 17 November 2019, in the wake of the Bolton fire on 15 November 2019, The Observer reported criticisms that the government has been “downplaying the fire risk posed by the type of cladding that burned ferociously on [the] Bolton student housing block – and of refusing help to worried residents of other affected buildings”.
Commenting on the fire, Leader of Bolton Council, Councillor David Greenhalgh, said:
“This was a terrible incident and I would like to pay tribute to Greater Manchester Fire Service and the other fire services that supported them. … I’d like to pay special tribute to the university and to the neighbouring housing associations who worked together to rehouse people from the building and those nearby which were evacuated.”
For The Observer report, click here. For the council’s statement concerning support for the affected students, click here.
Homelessness: temporary accommodation costs councils over £1bn in one year
On 14 November 2019 the MHCLG released new figures which included the amount being spent by local authorities on temporary accommodation for homeless households in England in 2018/19. The figures show:
- Councils spent £1.1 billion on temporary accommodation for homeless households between April 2018 and March 2019. This has increased by 9 per cent in the last year and 78 per cent in the last five years.
- More than 30 per cent (£344 million) of the total was spent on emergency B&Bs.
- Spending on B&Bs has increased by 111 per cent in the last five years.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said:
“If consecutive governments had built the genuinely affordable social homes that are needed, fewer people would be homeless, and we would not be wasting vast sums on unsuitable temporary accommodation.
“What’s even more shameful is that so much of this public money is lining the pockets of unscrupulous private landlords, who can charge desperate councils extortionate rates for grim B&Bs, because there’s nowhere else for families to go.”
For the data, click here and download the table entitled ‘Revenue outturn housing services (RO4) 2018 to 2019’. For comment by Shelter, click here.
Rogue landlord banning order
On 18 November 2019 Camden Council reported that it had obtained London’s first rogue landlord banning order against a man who “repeatedly placed tenants’ lives at risk through letting unsafe housing”. Following a hearing at the first tier tribunal, the decision was subsequently made to ban Cesar De Sousa Melo for four years from letting any housing in England and engaging in English letting agency work or property management work. Investigations had uncovered that Mr Melo was involved in the letting of several unlicensed houses in multiple occupation. He was convicted at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in April 2019 of seven ‘banning order offences’ and fined £14,000. For a full report, click here.
Solicitor found guilty of housing fraud
On 14 November 2019 London Borough of Tower Hamlets reported that a solicitor and former councillor Muhammad Harun had been sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court to 16 months in custody after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud. The sentence is in addition to compensation of £124,679.94 paid to the council by Mr Harun for providing him and his family with temporary accommodation. Following an investigation, the council brought charges relating to Mr Harun’s failure to carry out his legal duty to disclose relevant facts in relation to his application for housing. For full details of the case, click here.
Landlord possession statistics – England and Wales
On 14 November 2019 the Ministry of Justice published quarterly national statistics on possession claim actions in county courts by mortgage lenders and social and private landlords. The statistics cover the period from July to September 2019. Landlord possession claims (28,431) and orders for possession (22,154) decreased by 10 and 6 per cent respectively, compared to the same quarter last year. Warrants of possession (14,276) also decreased (by 9 per cent). Repossessions by county court bailiffs (7,419) were down 10 per cent compared to the same quarter last year. For the statistics (combined with those for mortgage possession below), click here.
Mortgage possession statistics – England and Wales
On 14 November 2019 the Ministry of Justice published quarterly national statistics on possession claim actions in county courts by mortgage lenders and social and private landlords. The statistics cover the period from July to September 2019. Mortgage possession claims have increased for the fifth consecutive quarter. In the latest quarter they increased by 42 per cent (6,984) compared to the same quarter last year. Orders for possession (4,183), warrants issued (4,870) and repossessions (1,205) have increased by 35,31 and 29 per cent respectively compared to the same quarter last year. For the statistics (combined with those for landlord possession above), click here.
Housing supply 2018-2019
On 14 November the MHCLG published estimates of changes in the size of the dwelling stock in England. Annual housing supply amounted to 241,130 net additional dwellings in 2018-19, up 9 per cent on 2017-18. The net additions resulted from 213,660 new build homes, 29,260 gains from change of use between non-domestic and residential, 5,220 from conversions between houses and flats and 940 other gains (caravans, house boats etc.), offset by 7,940 demolitions. 14,107 of the net additions from change of use were through ‘permitted development rights’ (full planning permission not required). These comprised 12,032 additional dwellings from former offices, 883 from agricultural buildings, 199 from storage buildings, 69 from light industrial buildings and 924 from other non-domestic buildings. For the full statistics, click here. For the information organised by various criteria, click here. For tables for Great Britain on dwelling stock (including vacants) showing tenure and district etc and including a table specific to Wales, click here.
Affordable housing provision 2018-2019 – Wales
On 14 November 2019 the Welsh Government published details for April 2018 to March 2019 of the number of additional affordable housing units delivered in Wales and how the planning system contributed to the provision. The release shows that:
- 2,592 additional affordable housing units were delivered, a 12 per cent increase on 2017-18 and the highest annual total to date.
- An additional 35 housing units were delivered under the Rent to Own – Wales scheme introduced in February 2018.
- Registered Social Landlords delivered 90 per cent of all additional affordable housing provision (2,338 units).
- Nearly three-quarters of affordable housing units were delivered with capital grant funding (73 per cent).
- 650 affordable housing units were delivered on land made available by the public sector, up by 22 per cent on 2017-18.
For the release, click here.
Help to Buy ISAs
On 16 November 2019 The Independent reported on confusion amongst first-time buyers concerning the availability of Help to Buy ISAs through which prospective first time buyers can earn a 25 per cent bonus on their savings. The scheme closes to new applications on 30 November 2019. For the report, click here.
Empty residential properties – Wales
On 13 November 2019 the Welsh Government published, in response to an FOI request, a letter setting out information about residential properties owned by the Welsh Government, or its subsidiaries, that have been empty for more than six months. For the letter, click here.
Homelessness and young people
On 15 November 2019 Centrepoint published results of a survey of young people living in homelessness accommodation across England and Wales. A study by the organisation has found that more than 22,000 young people could be homeless or at risk of being made homeless in England this Christmas. Thirty-seven per cent of respondents to the survey said that they had had to spend time in an abusive household before becoming homeless. Almost half of respondents identifying as LGBT+ reported staying in an abusive household because they had nowhere else to go. Three-quarters of respondents had ‘sofa surfed’, but many reported that relying on others to provide a place to stay strained relationships with family and friends. Almost one-third suffered physical assault while homeless, while one in five young women had been the victim of sexual assault. For details of the survey and of Centrepoint’s Christmas appeal, click here.
General Election campaign: Generation Rent
On 18 November 2019 Generation Rent announced details of its campaigning for the General Election. It notes that “there are around 50 seats where renter votes could make a difference”. For details of the organisation’s Renter Manifesto (based on work with ACORN, London Renters Union, New Economics Foundation, Tenants Union UK and Renters Rights London), click here. For more information about the campaign, click here.
General Election campaign: CIEH
On 14 November 2019 the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health CIEH published its manifesto for environmental health, championing housing, food safety, environmental protection, health and safety at work and public health. CIEH argues strongly for what it sees as essential improvements, including updating building control policies to ensure homes are healthy, safe and energy efficient and can mitigate the effects of climate change. It also wants to see a mandatory national registration scheme for all landlords and agents in England. For the document, click here.
Housing Ombudsman: designated person referrals during General Election campaign
On 14 November 2019 the Housing Ombudsman provided guidance concerning the designated persons referral route during the General Election campaign. If a tenant’s complaint is not resolved after the end of the landlord's complaints procedure, the complainant can contact a designated person who can help find a solution or refer the complaint directly to the HO. Whilst the designated person may generally be a member of parliament, a local councillor or a tenant panel, during the General Election, the designated persons referral route is via tenant panels or local councillors only. For the guidance, click here.
Landlord licensing scheme – Nottingham
On 18 November 2019 the Residential Landlords Association reported that a landlord licensing scheme introduced in Nottingham in August 2018 has managed to issue full licences to fewer than three per cent of the applications received. Figures provided to the council’s overview and scrutiny committee show that by August 2019, of 17,523 applications received, just 472 final licences had been issued. For the report, click here.