Efficient evacuations – never leave a person behind

We’re all familiar with the fire safety drill, from regular practice runs at school all the way through to adult working life. An alarm is sounded, signalling the urgent evacuation of every person in the building – in an orderly fashion... View Article

May removes council borrowing cap

The borrowing cap for local councils to build new housing is set to be scrapped, potentially opening up billions of pounds of funding for new council housebuilding schemes. In a move that has been long called for by many in... View Article

Highland landlord shortlisted at National Awards

Highland-based registered social landlord, Albyn Housing Society, has received three shortlist nominations for the Scottish national Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) awards. The housing society has been shortlisted in the following categories: Housing Team of the Year, Excellence in Housing... View Article

Government announces ban on combustible cladding

The Government is set to ban the use of combustible materials on the outside of all new build high-rise buildings, hospitals, care homes and student accommodation. Following a consultation on last year’s Grenfell Tower tragedy, James Brokenshire, housing secretary, told... View Article

Legionella control for housing

Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their tenants by keeping property safe and free from health hazards. What is a landlord? Anyone who rents out a property (or even just a room) they own... View Article

Plymouth landlord put tenants’ lives at risk

A landlord from Plymouth has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment after gas appliances at his rental property in Plymouth were found to be ‘Immediately Dangerous’. Plymouth Crown Court heard how the gas appliances in the property on Laira Street... View Article

Landlord given custodial sentence for gas safety offences

A landlord has been sentenced for failing to maintain gas appliances at a rental property in Norwich and repeatedly failing to provide his tenants with a Landlords Gas Safety Certificate. Norwich Magistrates Court heard that inspectors from the Health and... View Article

The new normal in social housing procurement

Increased regulatory and financial constraints on local authorities, such as social rent cuts of 1 per cent each year from 2016-2020, and welfare reforms mean that social housing providers need to find ways of stretching their budgets to meet the... View Article

Supply shortage could push rents up 15 per cent

Private sector rents could rise 15 per cent by 2023 as the supply of new rental properties dries up, according to a survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. It said small-scale landlords are pulling out of the market,... View Article

Fitter sent to prison for unsafe gas work

A self-employed gas fitter has been sentenced to 16 months in prison after he carried out unsafe gas work while falsely pretending to be Gas Safe Registered. Nottingham Crown Court heard that Richard Trezise was prosecuted following investigations by Health... View Article

Scottish regulator acts over governance failures

The Scottish housing regulator has intervened in the running of two housing associations after its investigations found serious governance failures. The regulator has told Wishaw & District Housing Association it needs to find another landlord prepared to merge with it.... View Article

Voluntary Right to Buy pilot for HAs launched

A pilot of the controversial scheme to extend the Right to Buy to housing association tenants was launched in the Midlands but residents were only given one month to register their interest. Tenants were given until 16 September to apply... View Article