Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, has set out proposals to make unlawful sub-letting and “key-selling” in the social housing sector criminal offences. According to Mr Shapps, thousands of homes could be freed up for those on social housing waiting lists if the practices were stamped out. Currently, tenancy cheats can earn thousands of pounds a year [...]
social housing
Social housing sub-letting to be criminalised
Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, has set out proposals to make unlawful sub-letting and “key-selling” in the social housing sector criminal offences. According to Mr Shapps, thousands of homes could be freed up for those on social housing waiting lists if the practices were stamped out. Currently, tenancy cheats can earn thousands of pounds a year [...]
Social tenants to be paid for DIY maintenance
Social housing tenants across England who look after the fabric of their homes are to be paid for maintenance work under a new scheme unveiled today by housing minister, Grant Shapps. Launching Tenant Cashback, Mr Shapps explained that social landlords spend an average of £1,000 per property annually on repairs. Whereas the new scheme will [...]
Shortfall in English homes to hit 750,000
England faces a shortfall of 750,000 homes by 2025, a new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) claims.
Analysis of official government projections show that if the economy bounces back, the gap between supply and demand could be equivalent to the entire housing demand of the populations of Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle [...]
Capita closes in on unlawful sub-lets
Capita has recently launched a tenancy verification service aimed at supporting local councils in identify cases where social homes have been sublet.
According to outsourcing specialist, at least 50,000 social homes in England are currently unlawfully occupied, representing over £5 billion worth of housing stock.
The firm’s fully-managed service uses data and technology to scrutinise [...]
Private landlords to mop up anti-social behaviour evictions
The Residential Landlords’ Association (RLA) is calling for greater efforts to combat the problem of anti-social tenants in the private rented sector.
The move follows an announcement by Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, that “neighbours from hell”, who cause misery and fear for social housing tenants, face swifter eviction.
New measures mean those found guilty of housing related [...]
