Housing

Scottish Government announces additional £9 million funding for its Rapid Rehousing initiative

Funding will help homeless people be placed into permanent, stable accommodation as quickly as possible

Independent working group recommends new regulator and licensing of property agents

New report says regulator should ‘sit at the heart of a system of enforcement’ to raise standards for consumers

Private renters spend a third of income on rent, the highest proportion of all housing tenures

English Housing Survey report also finds a quarter of homes in the sector are non-decent according to the Decent Homes Standard

Domestic Abuse Bill receives first reading in House of Commons

Bill includes provision to protect secure lifetime tenancies for victims of domestic abuse with previous social tenancies

Welsh Government launches consultation on increasing the minimum notice period for no fault evictions

Proposals also include increasing the period at start of tenancy where landlord cannot give notice

Landlord ending assured shorthold tenancy in probationary period not obliged by section 21(1B) of Housing Act 1998 to provide six months' notice in addition to two months' notice required by section 21(1)(b)

[2019] EWCA Civ 1174

Private renting unaffordable for working families on low wages in two-thirds of the country

New Shelter analysis highlights that, in contrast, social rents are affordable across the country

Welsh Government to consult on extending notice period for no-fault evictions in the private rented sector

Shelter Cymru welcomes interim measure, ahead of no-fault evictions being ended completely

Scottish Government called upon to review operation of possession pre-action requirements across social rented sector

Shelter Scotland analysis finds that number of evictions by social landlords in Scotland has increased by 44 per cent over last five years

Select Committee expresses disappointment at procedural failures in process to appoint new Housing Ombudsman

Government neglected to consult or provide information within timescales set out in Cabinet Office guidance, says Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

Government will take further action ‘as necessary’ to help existing leaseholders with onerous ground rent terms

Response to Select Committee report on leasehold reform says voluntary ground rent review scheme will be monitored before legislation or compensation is considered

APPG calls for increased funding of home improvements to address impact of poor housing on older people’s health

New report on housing for older people also calls for restored funding for national and local housing advice services

Court of Appeal rules that housing association’s allocation policy prioritising Orthodox Jewish applicants is justified and proportionate in its discrimination

[2019] EWCA Civ 1099

Hundreds of thousands of private renters are living in unsafe properties, says Citizens Advice

New report blames weak regulation of private rented sector for landlords' failure to meet obligations and calls for establishment of national housing body to set consistent standards

Consultation on tenancy deposit reform launched by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Views sought on barriers tenants face in providing second deposit when moving to a new tenancy and what can be done to improve deposit affordability

Government confirms that it will legislate to ensure that all new houses are sold on freehold basis

Response to consultation on leasehold reform also confirms that freeholders on private and mixed-use estates will have right to challenge reasonableness of estate rent charges

High Court rules that ‘sell and rent back’ freeholder is 'estopped' from repossessing property from previous owners