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3 October, 2014

Government launches consultation on changes to the Warm Home Discount scheme

Exercise seeks views, ahead of 13 November deadline, on proposed changes for 2015/2016

2 October, 2014

New weekly housing law update from Lime Legal

Issue 1 of Housing Law Week, a weekly email update bulletin for housing professionals and housing lawyers edited by Jan Luba QC.

30 September, 2014

Scottish Housing Minister welcomes continued fall in homelessness in Scotland

Margeret Burgess comments on new statistics showing that number of people applying for homelessness assistance and assessed as homeless fell by seven per cent and three per cent respectively in April–June 2014 compared to same period last year, and there was a 10 per cent decrease in households with children in temporary accommodation at 30 June 2014.

30 September, 2014

DCLG publishes Rent to Buy prospectus

Applicants invited to bid for up to £200m of recoverable loans to support building of fixed term affordable homes between 2015 and 2017.

29 September, 2014

Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 Commencement Order

New statutory instrument brings into force provisions including, from 20 October 2014, in relation to the recovering of possession of dwelling houses on anti-social behaviour grounds.

26 September, 2014

Community Secretary, Eric Pickles, launches new ‘Rent to Buy’ Scheme

Under the scheme housing associations and other providers can bid for low-cost loans to build new homes which they must make available for rent at below-market rates for a minimum of seven years after which the tenant will have first refusal to buy the property or they may choose to move out and buy a different property, or rent another property either privately or with the housing association.

26 September, 2014

Almost 53,000 households have bought a home in England through Help to Buy

Press release from DCLG also reports that almost 80 per cent of sales have gone to first time buyers, with nearly 70 per cent being for new build homes.

25 September, 2014

Absolute Ground for Possession for Anti-social Behaviour (Review Procedure) (England) Regs 2014

New statutory instrument specifies the procedure to be followed in an internal review by a local housing authority or housing action trust of its decision to seek possession under the new absolute ground for anti-social behaviour.

25 September, 2014

Legal Aid Statistics for 2013/2014

New Ministry of Justice statistics include that total of legal help matters started and civil representation certificates granted was 32 in employment cases, 2,584 in debt cases, 3,877 in community care cases and 55,943 in housing cases.

25 September, 2014

Government sending information about Right to Buy to around 900,000 social tenants

New levels of discount and launch of Right to Buy Agent service mean that 'there might never be a better time for eligible council and housing association tenants to make this life-changing decision for them and their family', says Housing Minister.

25 September, 2014

Homelessness acceptances in England for April-June 2014 down by 2 per cent on same quarter last year

New DCLG statistics also show that, on 30 June 2014, there were 59,710 households in temporary accommodation, 6 per cent higher than at the same date in 2013.

24 September, 2014

Homelessness acceptances in Wales for April-June 2014 down by 8 per cent on same quarter last year

New Welsh Government statistics also show that number of decisions made on homeless applications was down by 14 per cent for April-June 2014 compared with previous year.

18 September, 2014

Housing (Wales) Act 2014

New legislation that gives Wales powers to implement mandatory licensing for the private rented sector, create a strategy for homelessness and allow councils to charge 50 per cent more than the standard rate of council tax on long-term empty homes.

15 September, 2014

DCLG consults on changes to planning procedures and guidance in relation to travellers sites

Consultation seeks views on measures designed to 'ensure that the planning system applies fairly and equally to both the settled community and travellers; strengthen protection of our sensitive areas and the green belt; and deal with the negative effects of unauthorised occupation of land'.

12 September, 2014

Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order 2014

New statutory instrument introduces requirement that local authority temporary accommodation is 'wind and watertight and suitable for occupation by children'.

11 September, 2014

Government gives its backing to the outlawing of ‘revenge evictions’

Communities Minister says ministers will support Private Member’s Bill - designed to stop landlords who, rather than meet their legal duty to keep their properties at a reasonable standard and remove health and safety hazards, instead evict tenants simply for asking for essential repairs to be made - on the condition that the Bill only targets bad landlords and cannot be used by tenants to frustrate legitimate evictions.

11 September, 2014

Welsh Government commissions research into the impact of Houses in Multiple Occupation

In addition to collecting evidence, research will also examine how local authorities are tackling problems caused by high concentrations of HMOs in their area.

11 September, 2014

Homelessness rising due to conflict between welfare and housing policy

Chartered Institute of Housing highlights conflict between the Localism Act, that was supposed to make it easier for local authorities to help extremely vulnerable people find a home, and welfare reform, that is making it harder.

10 September, 2014

DCLG consults on delivery of Right to Move for social housing tenants taking up work or training

Proposals include new regulations, strengthened guidance and ensuring social landlords set aside properties for use by those exercising Right to Move