Landlord and Tenant Advice
We offer advice and assistance to landlords and tenants so that everybody understands the rules and regulations involved.
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We are sympathetic to the housing difficulties that can arise and are here to help and support you.
The Highest Standards
We're here to help those whose landlords have allowed properties to fall into disrepair.
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Our Housing Solicitors have a wealth of knowledge and extensive experience in all manners of housing law matters.
Housing Articles
To all residential landlords: changes in law on retaliatory evictions (27 November 2017)
The Deregulation Act (2015) has so far seen shorthold tenancy agreement (ASTs) affected by the change in law, which protects tenants against retaliatory evictions brought about by a complaint about the condition of the property. As on 1st October 2018, all AST properties will come under The Deregulation Act. Read more...
Local authorities have been told to have local plans for social housing by 31st January 2018 (27 November 2017)
Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has spoken out to warn local authorities that the government will be taking a strict approach to ensuring local plans are readily available by the end of January 2018. Read more...
London family face eviction after neighbours complain about ‘noisy children’ (17 November 2017)
A family renting in London have been threatened with eviction after their neighbours complained about their 15 month old baby was crying. They were warned by the management firm that if the noise continued they would be given two weeks’ notice to leave the property. Read more...
Former NHS site in east London to be “100% affordable Peabody homes” (30 August 2017)
Waltham Forest Council has announced that a new housing development in Leytonstone, east London will be 100% affordable housing, following negotiation by the council Read more...
Former HMP Holloway site could be redeveloped to offer 50% affordable homes (30 August 2017)
Plans for redeveloping the site of HMP Holloway could see 50% of homes developed on the site being “genuinely affordable”, says Islington Council Read more...
Council raid uncovers illegal bedsits in Brent (29 August 2017)
Brent Council enforcement officers carrying out a dawn raid on converted bedsits in the northwest London borough found tenants living in damp and unsafe conditions Read more...
Phase two of Slough Council’s small site, house building project gets underway in September (29 August 2017)
Slough is to benefit from more new council homes, as phase two of the council’s house building project using small sites in the borough gets underway Read more...
Welsh government invites tenants to have their say on letting agents’ fees in private rental sector (25 August 2017)
A Welsh government consultation is inviting tenants to have their say on legislative proposals to remove the ability of lettings agencies to charge them fees Read more...
Nearly 500 new homes for Peterborough after Section 106 agreement is finalised (25 August 2017)
Peterborough Council has announced that outline planning permission has been granted for a development of up to 1,050 properties, after the council’s planning committee said it would refuse the renewed application if a Section 106 agreement were not finalised Read more...
Islington Council starts work on building new council homes (24 August 2017)
Islington Council in north London has said that construction of new homes in Holloway has started, which will create much-needed new social housing on the site of a former car park Read more...
Council prosecutes landlord whose property was used as a brothel (24 August 2017)
Gateshead Council has prosecuted a landlord whose house was used as a brothel Read more...
Landlord fined for defective student accommodation in Birmingham (23 August 2017)
Birmingham Magistrates’ Court has fined a London landlord offering student accommodation in Selly Oak, Birmingham, after the premises were found to be in disrepair and unlicensed as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) Read more...
Magistrates grant council legal powers to enter properties without Gas Safety Certificates (23 August 2017)
Barkingside Magistrates’ Court has given Havering Council in Essex legal powers to enter properties where the tenant has not produced a Gas Safety Certificate Read more...
£6.2m funding to boost infrastructure for 15,000 new homes in South Oxfordshire (23 August 2017)
South Oxfordshire District Council has been awarded £6.2 million in government funding to accelerate the delivery of Didcot’s Northern Perimeter Road, which is a critical transport link around Didcot essential to the construction of Didcot Garden Town and 15,000 new homes Read more...
Hackney’s Estate Regeneration programme sees more new council homes completed (23 August 2017)
The Mayor of Hackney has laid the final brick in a building development that will bring transform empty land in an ambitious regeneration programme in east London by Hackney Council Read more...
First council house building programme “in a generation” for northwest Leicestershire (22 August 2017)
North West Leicestershire District Council (NMLDC) is building affordable housing after demolishing a former sheltered housing block at Coalville Read more...
Westminster City Council announces multi-agency housing service to tackle homelessness (22 August 2017)
Westminster City Council has announced that vulnerable families and single people at risk of homelessness will soon gain greater support and advice in the community, as part of a new multi-agency housing options service Read more...
Extension to closure order granted on property to tackle antisocial behaviour (21 August 2017)
Three Rivers District Council in Hertfordshire has obtained an extension to a closure order on a property for a further three months, to help prevent additional problems at the premises Read more...
Northumberland City Council confiscates “noisy neighbour’s” sound system (17 August 2017)
Northumberland County Council has taken action against a “noisy neighbour” whom they said made life a misery for nearby residents by playing music throughout the night Read more...
Croydon Council obtains closure order for anti-social behaviour (17 August 2017)
Croydon Council has obtained a closure order on a flat in a block of retirement apartments, after one resident was verbally abusive to neighbours and also put lives at risk by starting fires on the roof of his apartment Read more...
Hackney Council challenges housing associations to build affordable housing using £16m fund (16 August 2017)
Housing associations in Hackney have been challenged to use an innovative new £16 million council fund to increase the number of genuinely affordable homes being built in the borough Read more...
Welsh Assembly announces £2.1m extra to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness (16 August 2017)
Welsh Assembly Communities and Children Secretary Carl Sargeant has announced an extra £2.1 million to help tackle youth homelessness and rough sleeping Read more...
Northumberland County Council obtains EDMOs to bring empty properties back into use as homes (15 August 2017)
Northumberland County Council says that empty homes are a step closer to re-opening their doors to new tenants, after the council was given interim Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) for four properties across the county Read more...
£3,000 penalty for tenancy fraud (15 August 2017)
Lewes District Council’s Counter Fraud Team have prosecuted a man for fraud for subletting a property owned by the council Read more...
Home Office funding to help Bristol target rogue landlords and poor private rental accommodation (15 August 2017)
Bristol City Council has been awarded additional funding from the Home Office to help it criminal landlords and protect tenants Read more...
Suspended sentence for landlord who carried out DIY gas work on boiler (10 August 2017)
A Devon landlord has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), after risking the lives of his tenants by carrying out dangerous gas work Read more...
Manchester uses DCLG funding to tackle rogue landlord who exploit migrants (9 August 2017)
Manchester City Council has announced that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has approved a funding bid that will help the city council continue a targeted project to improve private sector housing standards Read more...
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea allowed developers to neglect affordable housing target (8 August 2017)
It has been revealed that the council in charge of Grenfell Tower gained almost £60 million from allowing developers to avoid building affordable housing. Despite high demand for housing to accommodate low income families, developers can pay a fee to the council instead of building affordable homes if they demonstrate that building affordable units would make their plans unviable Read more...
£606,000 government funding for community housing in North Yorkshire (8 August 2017)
Craven District Council in North Yorkshire has been allocated £606,000 from the government's Community Housing Fund to help develop smaller housing sites around the district Read more...
Southwark Council award for homelessness project (8 August 2017)
Southwark Council in south London has been short-listed in the London Homelessness Awards for The Homelessness Trailblazer Pilot, alongside two other projects – Prisoners Abroad Resettlement Team and Network Homes and New Horizons Day centre Project Vista Read more...
Newham Council sets up scheme to “name and shame” rogue letting agents (8 August 2017)
Newham Council in east London has announced it is setting up the first UK scheme to “name and shame” rogue letting agents Read more...
Kettering Council obtain closure order on property for drug dealing (7 August 2017)
Kettering Council in Northamptonshire has obtained a closure order for a flat in Kettering, following complaints of drug dealing Read more...
Brighton landlord prosecuted for unlicensed HMO (7 August 2017)
Brighton & Hove City Council’s planning enforcement team has prosecuted a landlord for letting a Brighton home as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) without a licence, in the first successful prosecution by the council regarding an unauthorised conversion of a house into a small HMO Read more...
Landlord issued with confiscation order under POCA for “beds-in-sheds” accommodation (7 August 2017)
Brent Council in northwest London has prosecuted a landlord who illegally housed tenants inside his converted garage Read more...
£65m government support for Build to Rent homes in London (4 August 2017)
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have announced that the biggest development of homes built specifically for private rent in the UK is set to receive a £65 million boost from the government Read more...
Ashford Council presses ahead with affordable and dementia friendly housing developments (3 August 2017)
Ashford Council in Kent has approved the provision of a further 190 homes between 2018 and 2024, through the council’s Housing Revenue Account Read more...
Welsh government allows Cardiff Council to suspend Right to Buy (2 August 2017)
The Welsh Assembly has announced the suspension of Right to Buy in Cardiff, to ensure social housing is available to those who need it Read more...
New homes proposed for Lincoln Western Growth Corridor (28 July 2017)
Lincoln City Council is asking for public feedback on new proposals for developing the Lincoln Western Growth Corridor Read more...
Government consults on shake up of “unfair” leaseholds on new builds (27 July 2017)
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has set out plans to prevent new build houses from being sold as leasehold, as well as restricting ground rents to as low as zero Read more...
Over 200 London students prepare to take legal action against their university over poor living conditions (27 July 2017)
Hundreds of postgraduate students at London School of Economics (LSE) are preparing to take legal action against their university owing to the conditions of their accommodation causing illness and distress Read more...
New supported housing scheme in Ashford for young people leaving care (25 July 2017)
A new housing scheme for vulnerable young people leaving care has been opened in Ashford in Kent Read more...
Consultation on new housing policy for Eastbourne and Lewes (25 July 2017)
Eastbourne Borough Council has launched a housing consultation on a new housing policy for the borough and Lewes District Council Read more...
Unlicensed HMO landlord fined £75,000 for fire safety and housing offences (25 July 2017)
Lincoln Crown Court has fined a landlord £75,000 for breaching fire safety rules at an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Boston, Lincolnshire Read more...
New supported housing scheme in Ashford for young people leaving care (24 July 2017)
A new housing scheme for vulnerable young people leaving care has been opened in Ashford in Kent Read more...
Brighton and Hove Council launches HMO and selective licensing consultations (24 July 2017)
Brighton and Hove City Council is consulting on two proposed licensing schemes for the private rental sector in the city Read more...
Doncaster Council completes 124 new council homes, with more to follow (24 July 2017)
Doncaster Council has announced that tenants have been given the keys to new council homes, marking the completion of 124 council-owned homes at ten sites across the borough Read more...
Affordable homes for West Dorset completed as part of 20,000 new homes target (19 July 2017)
West Dorset District Council has announced the completion of eight new affordable homes at Tolpuddle, including a specially adapted home, by Hastoe Housing Association Read more...
The UK Government is called to consider the ‘Housing First’ approach after a report reveals it could save up to £4 million in the Liverpool region (19 July 2017)
A report conducted by homelessness charity Crisis has found that the ‘Housing First’ scheme could save the Liverpool City Region (LCR) as much as £4million a year. The Liverpool City Region includes Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral and Halton Read more...
Bristol City Council says re-launch of Rent with Confidence will protect tenants across West of England (18 July 2017)
Bristol City Council says that its participation in the re-launch of a Rent with Confidence for private sector landlord and letting agents will help people find good quality rented accommodation in the city and surrounding areas Read more...
£1.7bn affordable homes deal agreed between London Mayor and councils and housing associations (17 July 2017)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a £1.7 billion deal with councils and housing associations in London to start building an additional 50,000 affordable homes to rent and buy over the next four years Read more...
Bath & North East Somerset Council re-launches Rent with Confidence scheme for private sector landlords (17 July 2017)
Bath & North East Somerset (Bathnes) Council has announced the re-launch of a scheme aimed at helping tenants find good quality rented accommodation Read more...
NHBC issues fire safety advice to residents of apartment blocks (13 July 2017)
The National House Building Council (NHBC) has issued information for homeowners who are concerned about fire safety in apartment buildings Read more...
NHBC figures show 14,680 new home registrations in May (13 July 2017)
New figures from the National House Building Council (NHBC) show that a total of 14,680 new homes were registered in the UK during May, according to the NHBC’s monthly new home statistics Read more...
Property company prosecuted for converting former Barnet GP surgery into HMO (13 July 2017)
Barnet Council in northwest London has prosecuted a property company, which illegally converted a former doctor’s surgery into nine flats Read more...
£1,580 penalty for Gateshead landlord who failed to obtain licence (13 July 2017)
Gateshead Council in Tyne and Wear has prosecuted a private landlord for failing to obtain a landlord licence for a property on Saltwell Place in Gateshead Read more...
“Phantom homes” emerging due to a third of planned houses remaining unbuilt (12 July 2017)
An analysis by housing charity Shelter has revealed that a third of homes due to be completed remain unbuilt despite the housing crisis. The analysis was based on figures obtained from the Department for Communities and Local Government among other data Read more...
Grenfell Tower’s borough revealed to be the worst in England for housing prior to fire (12 July 2017)
It has been reported that Kensington and Chelsea Borough was the worst in England for housing homeless people prior to the Grenfell disaster Read more...
Waverley Borough Council commences new affordable homes development in Godalming (12 July 2017)
Waverley Borough Council in Surrey has said that, following an award-winning Church View development at Station Road in Godalming, work is now underway on the site of the former Wey Court House sheltered housing scheme in Godalming, located off Meadrow Read more...
Waverley Borough Council commences new affordable homes development in Godalming (11 July 2017)
Waverley Borough Council in Surrey has said that, following an award-winning Church View development at Station Road in Godalming, work is now underway on the site of the former Wey Court House sheltered housing scheme in Godalming, located off Meadrow Read more...
Specialist taskforce to assist Kensington and Chelsea Council following Grenfell Tower fire (11 July 2017)
The government has ordered a taskforce to take over key services from Kensington and Chelsea Council following the Grenfell Tower Fire. The Council was very heavily criticised in the aftermath of the 14 June events, leading to the resignation of both the council leader and the chief executive. The taskforce is reportedly due to take over a number of council operations, including the housing department Read more...
London council wins landmark case against developer over affordable housing (28 June 2017)
Islington Council in north London has won a landmark case against a property developer over affordable housing Read more...
Birmingham City Council commits to fitting sprinklers to residential tower blocks (27 June 2017)
Birmingham City Council has announced that it will fit sprinklers in residential tower blocks following the Grenfell Tower fire Read more...
Peterborough landlord prosecuted for failing to provide information about private rental property (27 June 2017)
Peterborough Council has prosecuted a private sector landlord after he failed to supply information to the council Read more...
Welsh Assembly sets up expert group to learn lessons from Grenfell Tower fire (23 June 2017)
Welsh Assembly Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, Carl Sargeant, has announced that he is setting up an expert group to examine all of the lessons from the Grenfell Tower fire and their application to Wales Read more...
Cambridge City Council reassures tenants over fire safety (21 June 2017)
Cambridge City Council is reminding council tenants and leaseholders of the fire safety measures and procedures in place at council homes, following the Grenfell Tower fire in London Read more...
Cambridge City Council proposals for new council homes (19 June 2017)
Cambridge City Council has announced that two sites are to be developed to provide new council homes pending planning permission Read more...
Wigan Council scheme provides affordable homes from derelict properties (15 June 2017)
Wigan Council says that derelict properties in the Wigan Borough have been given a makeover, providing homes for residents in need of affordable housing Read more...
Durham landlord prosecuted for breaches of licensing regulations (15 June 2017)
A Durham landlord has been prosecuted after failing to obtain the appropriate licences for two houses she rented out to students Read more...
Harrow Council shuts down unlicensed HMO after complaints of anti-social behaviour (14 June 2017)
Harrow Council in northwest London has taken action over a string of anti-social incidents, which affected homeowners in Kenton Read more...
Wigan Council scheme provides affordable homes from derelict properties (14 June 2017)
Wigan Council says that derelict properties in the Wigan Borough have been given a makeover, providing homes for residents in need of affordable housing Read more...
Brent Council prosecutes after discovering “shanty” home in Wembley (13 June 2017)
Brent Council in Greater London has prosecuted a family of landlords who set up a “Slumdog Millionaire”-style shanty home, into which they crammed 31 tenants Read more...
Suspended sentence and supervision order for housing fraud (13 June 2017)
West Oxfordshire District Council has prosecuted a local resident who rented a housing association home while letting out her own property Read more...
Cornwall Council offers help to bring empty properties back into use (13 June 2017)
Cornwall Council says it is offering a range of assistance for owners of empty properties – whether empty existing properties or empty non-residential properties – to be converted into new homes Read more...
Harrow house in serious disrepair found to house “disgusting” tenants (12 June 2017)
Harrow Council recently received a number of complaints from homeowners in Kenton following persistent anti-social incidents from a group of tenants Read more...
Criminal landlords in Brent forced to pay total of £500,000 in fines (12 June 2017)
Brent Council in Greater London says that court fines paid by criminal landlords in Brent have crossed the half-a-million pound mark Read more...
£3,250 penalty for landlord whose property became an HMO without her knowledge (12 June 2017)
Slough Borough Council has prosecuted a private sector landlord, whose property became a house in multiple occupation (HMO) without her knowledge Read more...
Landlords invited to keep up-to-date with regulation at North Staffordshire Landlord Conference (9 June 2017)
Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Newcastle Borough Council and the North Staffordshire Landlords Association are hosting a conference on 8 June to help landlords keep up-to-date with property rental legislation Read more...
Rogue landlord and housing company prosecuted for breaches of health and safety licensing regulations (9 June 2017)
Herefordshire Council’s Environmental Health and Trading Standards Service has prosecuted a rogue landlord for offences under the Housing Act Read more...
£7,500 fine for noisy neighbour who breached abatement notices for anti-social behaviour (8 June 2017)
A resident of Kettering in Northamptonshire has received a record fine after being prosecuted for anti-social behaviour Read more...
New affordable homes for Poole to be built on council-owned land (8 June 2017)
The Borough of Poole's Planning Committee has approved a planning application to build 15 new affordable homes on council-owned land at Chichester Walk in Merley Read more...
Total of 1,100 new homes for new community in Hampshire (6 June 2017)
Eastleigh Council in Hampshire has announced that a new community is to be built in the area, with planning permission for 560 new homes forming part of the first phase application Read more...
Hampshire County Council to invest £70m in Extra-Care for vulnerable residents by 2022 (6 June 2017)
Hampshire County Council has announced it will invest more than £70 million by 2022, to enable the development of Extra-Care accommodation for those with physical and learning disabilities and increasing numbers of elderly residents Read more...
Former Luton Council housing officer convicted on tenancy fraud charges (2 June 2017)
A former Luton Council housing officer has been convicted of tenancy fraud, after pleading guilty to making a false statement in order to obtain social housing from Luton Borough Council Read more...
Oxford City Council prosecutes landlord for managing unlicensed HMO (2 June 2017)
Oxford City Council has taken court action against the landlord of an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO), in the first prosecution of its kind in the city Read more...
Telford & Wrekin tenants move into new homes two months ahead of schedule (1 June 2017)
Telford & Wrekin Council says that the first tenants of a new housing development have moved in after the properties were completed two months ahead of schedule Read more...
Property developer and tree surgeon prosecuted after felling protected trees on development site (1 June 2017)
Southampton City Council has successfully prosecuted a property developer and a tree surgeon for felling four protected trees in the city Read more...
New council homes in York for tenants wishing to downsize (31 May 2017)
City of York Council has completed eight new homes for tenants looking to downsize from their current council home Read more...
£7,500 fine for noisy neighbour who breached abatement notices for anti-social behaviour (31 May 2017)
A resident of Kettering in Northamptonshire has received a record fine after being prosecuted for anti-social behaviour Read more...
Appeal Court dismisses lettings agency appeal against £20,000 fine for HMO breaches (31 May 2017)
A judgment won by Luton Council over a series of management regulations breaches relating to the safety and running of illegal houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) has been upheld, after a lettings agency appealed against it Read more...
Full closure order obtained after anti-social behaviour in Leicestershire property (31 May 2017)
Hinckley and Bosworth Council in Leicestershire have imposed a full closure order on a flat in Hinckley, after a temporary anti-social behaviour closure notice was issued banning all visitors to the property Read more...
Developers green light plans for 1,000 new homes in West Oxfordshire (30 May 2017)
West Oxfordshire District Council has announced that planning permission and legal agreements have been approved for 1,000 new homes to be developed on a site at Witney Read more...
Mid Devon launches first stage of new affordable housing scheme for local people (30 May 2017)
Mid Devon District Council has launched a new affordable housing scheme, with the first stage of affordable homes for rent officially opened Read more...
Unlicensed HMO and safety breaches land private landlord with £12,000 penalty (25 May 2017)
Brent Council in north London has prosecuted the owner of a property in Wembley for failing to licence the property and building an illegal extension at the rear Read more...
Islington Council spends £22m on tackling damp in council homes (25 May 2017)
Islington Council in north London has announced a £22 million programme of capital works designed to combat damp and condensation across two of the biggest council estates in the borough – Andover and Girdlestone Read more...
Home Office threatened with legal action over ‘Right to Rent’ scheme (24 May 2017)
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) has written to Home Secretary Amber Rudd, demanding that she orders a full evaluation of the ‘Right to Rent’ initiative requiring landlords to carry out immigration checks on prospective tenants Read more...
Leeds City Council signs agreement with Kier Construction to build more new council homes (22 May 2017)
Leeds City Council says that work is due to begin on new council housing on the site of a former public house in East Leeds Read more...
New housing development funded with £1.4m of Welsh government grants opens (22 May 2017)
Welsh Assembly Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, Carl Sargeant, has officially opened a new housing development in Cardiff, which was funded with over £1.4 million from the Welsh government’s Social Housing Grant and the Smaller Properties programme Read more...
HomeOwners Alliance reports that the housing crisis is worsening (19 May 2017)
A survey conducted by the HomeOwners Alliance has revealed a drop in the proportion of renters who aspire to one day be homeowners Read more...
RICS short-lists Sandwell Council high-rise blocks for regeneration and residential awards (17 May 2017)
Sandwell Council in the West Midlands has announced that a transformation scheme which has seen three high-rise blocks in Smethwick benefit from an £11 million makeover has been short-listed for two prestigious industry awards due to be announced on Thursday 18 May Read more...
Oxfordshire County Council wins funding to expand pioneering support service for foster carers (17 May 2017)
Oxfordshire County Council says that a pioneering support service for foster carers is set to expand in Oxfordshire, following a successful funding bid by the council Read more...
Brent Council announces 236 new homes for South Kilburn (17 May 2017)
Brent Council has announced that 236 new homes will be built in South Kilburn in northwest London, after the council agreed to award and enter into a Development and Sale Agreement with Telford Homes Plc Read more...
Birmingham woman handed Community Order for tenancy fraud (17 May 2017)
A woman from Newtown in Birmingham has been prosecuted by Birmingham City Council, after fraudulently applying for a council home in the city Read more...
£13,000 penalty for Islington landlord who left HMO property unlicensed and in disrepair (15 May 2017)
Islington Council in north London has prosecuted a landlord for safety breaches – including lack of a fire alarm, insecure handrails and banisters, and rotten window frames – in a multiple occupancy property Read more...
Community order for Birmingham housing fraud (15 May 2017)
Birmingham City Council has prosecuted a woman who lied to try and obtain a council house, despite already owning two properties Read more...
Unlicensed HMO and safety breaches land private landlord with £12,000 penalty (11 May 2017)
Brent Council in North London has prosecuted the owner of a property in Wembley for failing to licence the property and building an illegal extension at the rear Read more...
Islington Council spends £22m on tackling damp in council homes (11 May 2017)
Islington Council in north London has announced a £22 million programme of capital works designed to combat damp and condensation across two of the biggest council estates in the borough – Andover and Girdlestone Read more...
Brent council housing to return to direct local authority control (10 May 2017)
Brent Council has announced that council housing in the borough will cease to be managed by Brent Housing Partnership (BHP) and will return to local authority control Read more...
Bromley resident prosecuted for breaching planning conditions (10 May 2017)
Bromley Council in Kent has prosecuted a local resident for breaching planning conditions when developing his property at 49 Park Avenue in Bromley Read more...
Hackney Council starts work on housing regeneration scheme in Stoke Newington (10 May 2017)
Hackney Council in east London says plans to build thousands of new council homes across the borough have taken another step forward, after work started on a Hackney Council regeneration scheme in Stoke Newington Read more...
Derbyshire residents evicted for criminal activity (9 May 2017)
Residents have been evicted from their Derbyshire home following complaints from their neighbours about criminal activities Read more...
£6,000 penalty for failure to obtain HMO licence and HMO management offences (9 May 2017)
Bath & North East Somerset Council has prosecuted a landlord for failing to ensure he applied for a licence to operate a licensable rental property Read more...
Croydon Council adopts new powers to tackle rogue private landlords (9 May 2017)
Croydon Council is adopting new powers against rogue landlords from Monday 8 May, which could see landlords who breach housing law facing banning orders, maximum £30,000 fines and even prison Read more...
Luton Council obtains closure orders on properties after reports of nuisance neighbours (9 May 2017)
Luton Council has successfully applied to Magistrates for a closure order on two properties, following complaints about serious anti-social behaviour Read more...
Croydon Council introduces choice-based letting system for council tenants (8 May 2017)
Croydon Council is launching a choice-based lettings scheme to give those eligible for the housing register greater choice about where they live and the type of home that is suitable for them Read more...
Lands Chamber rules council can consider planning status of property in Private Rented Property Licence application (8 May 2017)
An Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) hearing has ruled that Waltham Forest Council can consider the planning status of a property when determining an application for a Private Rented Property Licence Read more...
HMO landlord prosecuted for fire safety breaches (5 May 2017)
St Helens Council in Lancashire has prosecuted a landlord who exposed tenants to “miserable” living conditions because of significant fire safety hazards Read more...
Pilot project to boost Wolverhampton Council’s “Empty Property Strategy” (5 May 2017)
City of Wolverhampton Council has announced the pilot of a new initiative to further reduce the number of long-term empty residential properties Read more...
Newquay landowner fined for non-compliance with Breach of Condition Notice (4 May 2017)
Cornwall Council’s Planning Enforcement Team has successfully prosecuted a landowner for non-compliance with a Breach of Condition Notice Read more...
£2,869 penalty for Cornwall landlord running unsafe HMO (4 May 2017)
Cornwall Council has successfully prosecuted a private sector landlord for the unsafe running of a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Camborne Read more...
London Assembly report says private landlords must do more to improve energy efficiency in homes (3 May 2017)
The London Assembly Environment Committee has launched a new report Getting Warmer, which examines what the Mayor can do to reduce domestic carbon emissions and fuel poverty in the capital Read more...
Camden council cracks down on criminal landlords (3 May 2017)
Camden Council in north London is investigating homes in the borough that may be operating illegally as unlicensed homes in multiple occupation (HMOs), with an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 unlicensed HMOs operating in the borough Read more...
Kettering Borough Council evicts tenant for housing fraud (3 May 2017)
Kettering Borough Council in Northamptonshire has evicted a tenant who made a fraudulent housing application Read more...
£149,530 funding for co-operative housing in Wales (3 May 2017)
The Welsh government has announced £149,530 in funding for the Wales Co-operative Centre, to support the Co-operative Housing in Wales project Read more...
Royal Borough of Greenwich extends HMO licensing scheme (2 May 2017)
The Royal Borough of Greenwich in southeast London has approved an extension of the council's licensing scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) Read more...
Nearly 5,000 properties bought using Help to Buy Wales since 2014 (28 April 2017)
Welsh Assembly Communities and Children’s Secretary Carl Sargeant has welcomed new figures which show that, since the introduction of the Help to Buy Wales scheme in 2014, a total of 4,949 property purchases were completed using a Welsh Government Help to Buy Wales shared equity loan Read more...
Harrow Council hoping to take action against letting agent that allowed as many as forty people to live in a three-bedroom property (27 April 2017)
Harrow Council’s enforcement officers discovered over 17 people living in a three-bedroom house with only one bathroom, and it is believed that there could have been up to 40 people living in the property prior to the raid Read more...
Waltham Forest Council completes first of 207 new council homes (27 April 2017)
Waltham Forest Council in east London has announced that the first new properties have been completed as part of a major council house building programme in Waltham Forest Read more...
£1,000 penalty for homeowners who breached noise abatement notices (27 April 2017)
York City Council has prosecuted two dog owners, after noise made by their dogs – including barking and howling – caused a nuisance to residents nearby Read more...
Private landlord prosecuted for illegal eviction and breaching Prohibition Order (26 April 2017)
Peterborough City Council has prosecuted a private landlord for breaching health and safety regulations and evicting a tenant illegally Read more...
Amidst the housing crisis 200,000 homes in England lie empty (25 April 2017)
Government data has found that more than 200,000 homes in England were empty for at least six months during 2016. The properties collect a total value of £43bn, with London being the worst affected city, followed by Birmingham. The properties are lying empty despite Britain’s on going housing crisis, and the shortage of properties to rent and buy. Read more...
London landlords fined for instances of disrepair (21 April 2017)
A rogue landlord has been ordered to pay almost £250,000 after illegally renting properties in extreme disrepair Read more...
London’s homeless families are being forced out of the capital (19 April 2017)
Homeless families in London are receiving offers to be housed as far away as Birmingham despite disruptions to jobs and schools. Councils often give families only 24 hours to accept, and if they fail to, the council will withdraw support on the basis that the family have become “intentionally homeless” leaving families ineligible for further help Read more...
Rent growth slows down nation-wide, whilst the cost of renting in London falls (19 April 2017)
A study carried by Right Move has found that over the past year the cost of renting a house has risen by a slim 1.8%, compared with 3.9% for the previous year. Rent in the capital, which is by far the most expensive has taken a 4.2% year on year fall. Read more...
Barnet Council launches £65m Opendoor Homes plan to build 320 affordable homes for rent (18 April 2017)
Barnet Council has officially launched Opendoor Homes – a subsidiary of The Barnet Group, which is wholly owned by Barnet Council – as a registered provider of affordable homes Read more...
Kingston Council works with partner to deliver new homes (18 April 2017)
Kingston Council in southwest London has said it has reached a key milestone in the delivery of new homes in the borough Read more...
Council consults on licensing scheme to tackle rogue landlords (12 April 2017)
Telford and Wrekin Council in Shropshire has launched a consultation on a new scheme to improve housing standards in privately rented homes – and reduce littering, fly-tipping, crime and anti-social behaviour Read more...
Wales set to replace stamp duty land tax with land transaction tax (12 April 2017)
The Welsh Assembly has introduced the country’s first new tax for 800 years, which will replace stamp duty land tax when the Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Bill comes into force Read more...
Enforcement Notice upheld against homeowner who built bungalow without planning permission (12 April 2017)
Three Rivers District Council in Hertfordshire has succeeded in defeating an appeal against an Enforcement Notice, issued to a resident who erected a bungalow on Green Belt in 2013 without planning permission Read more...
Bovis Homes Ltd fined for working outside agreed hours (12 April 2017)
Telford & Wrekin Council in Shropshire has prosecuted leading housing developer Bovis after receiving complaints about building noise early in the mornings and late in the evenings and at weekends Read more...
Sefton Council hosts first health and wellbeing event for cancer patients and their families (11 April 2017)
Sefton Council on Merseyside is hosting its first ever health and wellbeing event for those affected by cancer Read more...
Ealing Council plans £165m investment in new housing (11 April 2017)
Ealing Council has agreed to consider a loan of £165million to build more homes to meet rising demand in the borough Read more...
“Planning in principle” to be rolled out nationally to speed up house building (11 April 2017)
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has announced new measures to unlock brownfield land for thousands of homes Read more...
Selective Licensing Scheme to be introduced for private rental properties in some parts of Scarborough (11 April 2017)
Scarborough Council has approved the introduction of a Selective Licensing Scheme for privately rented properties within parts Scarborough, designed to ensure that properties are safe and are being managed appropriately Read more...
£1m in funding for regeneration and housing appraisal in deprived area of Nottinghamshire (11 April 2017)
Newark and Sherwood District Council in Nottinghamshire has been awarded nearly £1 million to kick start a regeneration scheme including new housing development Read more...
High Court injunction granted against developers in breach of planning conditions (10 April 2017)
Herefordshire Council has been granted a High Court injunction against Ross-on-Wye developers, who continued to be in breach of planning conditions following safety fears for a housing development at Pencraig in Ross-on-Wye Read more...
North Northamptonshire awarded £1.1m to support development of Sustainable Urban Extensions (10 April 2017)
North Northamptonshire is among the winners in the government’s award of Large Sites Capacity Funding to help provide new homes Read more...
‘Right to Rent’ initiative feared to be fuelling discrimination (7 April 2017)
The new ‘Right to Rent’ scheme – an initiative requiring landlords to check the immigration status of their prospective tenants – has been accused of fuelling discrimination by a recent report by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) Read more...
Thousands of families left with only 50p-a-week housing benefit (7 April 2017)
Families reliant on benefits are suffering from the current limits of £23,000 in London and £20,000 in the rest of the country. A BBC Panorama investigation has found that, as a result of these benefit caps, several families can lose all of their housing benefit asides from a nominal amount of 50p per week Read more...
Parliament investigate Air Bnb’s role in the rental crisis (7 April 2017)
The ever increasing popularity of Airbnb has come under scrutiny recently as the government believe it is contributing to the rental crisis in London. In response to this Airbnb has implemented a policy whereby users of Airbnb are only allowed to rent out their property for a maximum of 90 days per annum Read more...
Help to Buy helps more than one million homebuyers onto the housing ladder according to government (5 April 2017)
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has said that more than 259,000 people have already bought a home using one of the government’s flagship Help to Buy schemes with more than 868,000 opening a Help to buy: ISA Read more...
Sefton Council launches consultation on selective licensing and private HMO landlords (5 April 2017)
Sefton Council on Merseyside is consulting on whether a selective licensing and additional House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing scheme for private landlords are needed in parts of the borough Read more...
First-time buyers look to parents to help them onto housing ladder (4 April 2017)
New research by the Social Mobility Commission shows that more first-time buyers are relying on their parents help them get onto the property ladder Read more...
Woking Council consults on three-year licensing scheme for some private landlords (31 March 2017)
Woking Council has announced that it is proposing a three-year licensing scheme for private landlords in some parts of the Town Centre and Maybury areas Read more...
Jail and disqualification for lettings agent who defrauded clients of holding deposits (31 March 2017)
Croydon Council has prosecuted a lettings agent who unlawfully withheld thousands of pounds in client deposits Read more...
London boroughs need to rethink their housing strategy if they want to tackle the rent crisis (30 March 2017)
As it stands council waiting lists are becoming longer and stricter, the availability of council homes is falling, rough sleeping and homelessness is on the rise and as a result councils are increasingly relying on temporary accommodation to meet their statutory obligations Read more...
Solihull Council to launch Youth Hub service to tackle homelessness among young adults (28 March 2017)
Solihull Council in the West Midlands has announced that it will be launching a new pilot Youth Hub to tackle the issue of homelessness among young adults Read more...
Wolverhampton Council stages first Housing Fair (27 March 2017)
City of Wolverhampton Council is to stage its first Housing Fair on Sunday 2 April at Wolverhampton Art Gallery Read more...
Barnet Council launches Homeshare scheme (24 March 2017)
Barnet Council has launched a scheme whereby residents who need help at home offer a room for rent and receive help from their tenant Read more...
Cambridge on course to build 4,500 homes as a result of £45m HCA loan (23 March 2017)
Cambridge City Council has announced £45 million investment in new homes as a result of a loan from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) Read more...
Doncaster Council to build affordable homes for over-50s (23 March 2017)
Doncaster Council has announced that a development of 11 affordable bungalows will be built for people aged over 50, as a result of a grant by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) Read more...
Cardiff private sector landlords prosecuted for breaches of Housing Act (22 March 2017)
City of Cardiff Council has prosecuted two private sector landlords for offences under the Housing Act 2004 Read more...
Thanet Council to offer loans to homeowners who buy empty properties and refurbish (22 March 2017)
Thanet District Council has launched a new scheme which will offer loans to homeowners looking to renovate former empty properties and then live in them Read more...
Unlicensed landlord prosecuted – and repays 12 months’ rent as a result (21 March 2017)
Blackburn and Darwen Council has prosecuted an unlicensed landlord and the council is now urging other landlords in the borough to make sure they obtain the appropriate licence for any properties they let Read more...
Landlord prosecuted for unlawful eviction of tenant and harassment (21 March 2017)
Telford & Wrekin Council has prosecuted a landlord for unlawfully evicting a tenant Read more...
£7m compensation paid out to repair poorly constructed housing by Bovis Homes (20 March 2017)
Bovis, one of the biggest homebuilders in Britain, were accused of pressuring customers to move into poorly built, incomplete homes in order to meet sales targets. They have been ordered to pay compensation after a group of angry customers formed a Facebook group to draw attention to the issue. The Facebook group titled ‘Bovis Home Victims Group’ has over 1,400 members Read more...
New report calls for changes to address homelessness in London (20 March 2017)
Sajid Javid, Communities Secretary, unveiled a new report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), in Parliament on Wednesday (March 15th), outlining the argument for easing welfare restrictions, which hinder the homeless in finding somewhere to live Read more...
City of York Council enters partnership with HCA to build new homes on brownfield land (20 March 2017)
City of York Council has announced it is set to enter into a partnership with the government which could help deliver 5,000 much needed new homes on brownfield land over the next 15 years Read more...
Nuisance neighbour prosecuted over loud music played on repeat (20 March 2017)
Harrow Council has taken action against a noisy neighbour who played loud music with explicit lyrics on repeat at high volume Read more...
Cambridge City Council launches loan scheme to help bring empty homes up to rental standard (20 March 2017)
Cambridge City Council has launched a scheme to help the owners of empty properties in Cambridge bring them back into residential use Read more...
Scarborough Council approves Selective Licensing Scheme for private sector rental properties (17 March 2017)
Scarborough Council has approved the introduction of a Selective Licensing Scheme for privately rented properties within parts of the Castle and North Bay wards in Scarborough, which is designed to ensure that properties are safe and being managed appropriately Read more...
Vulnerable tenants are being pushed out of the housing market as rent becomes ‘out-of-step’ with incomes (16 March 2017)
Philip Hammond’s Spring Budget continues to receive mixed reviews. Whilst the key focus of discussions centre on a tax rise for the self-employed, Britain’s housing crisis remained largely neglected Read more...
London landlord fined for running unlicensed HMO (15 March 2017)
A landlord who ran an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Hampstead, Northwest London, has been prosecuted by Camden Council Read more...
Cambridge City Councils sets out new vision for housing (15 March 2017)
Cambridge City Council has announced its vision to guide the city’s approach to providing affordable, high-quality housing in the coming years Read more...
£2,500 penalty for noise nuisance from pub DJ (15 March 2017)
Brent Council has prosecuted the owner of gastro pub in Kensal Green, northwest London, after neighbours experienced noise from music that was so loud their plates and crockery rattled on shelving Read more...
Cardiff Council offers support to tenants struggling with Bedroom Tax (14 March 2017)
The City of Cardiff Council has re-affirmed its commitment to assisting council tenants affected by the Bedroom Tax Read more...
Birmingham’s first private rental sector council housing project “well underway” (14 March 2017)
Birmingham City Council says that the first housing project to be developed for the private rental sector by its wholly-owned company – Inreach Birmingham Limited (Inreach) – are now well underway and prospective tenants are applying to rent the apartments Read more...
Cornwall Council receives £17.06m from New Homes Bonus scheme (13 March 2017)
Cornwall Council has been allocated £17.06 million from the recently announced New Homes Bonus allocations for 2017-2018 – the second-highest allocation in the country under the government’s New Homes Bonus scheme Read more...
The Department for Communities and Local Government warned against using misleading homelessness data (10 March 2017)
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has been told to refrain from using potentially misleading data by the UK Statistics Authority, and warned that the UK Statistics Authority will be monitoring future statements made by the DCLG on the issue of homelessness Read more...
£372,000 in fines, after four Somerset estate agents admit to price fixing (8 March 2017)
An investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that four Somerset estate agents colluded to set minimum commission rates for residential property sales at 1.5%, with a view to denying local homeowners selling their properties the chance of securing a better deal Read more...
Councils urged to share views of co-operative and community-led housing (8 March 2017)
Councils are being urged to share their views and experiences of co-operative and community-led housing (CCLH) by a local government network, in order to identify additional ways of tackling the housing crisis Read more...
London Mayor’s concern short-term lettings in London may impact on capital’s housing market (8 March 2017)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on short-term online letting agents to follow Airbnb’s lead by blocking hosts from renting out homes in the capital for more than 90 days Read more...
Concern among Londoners over lack of housing at “highest recorded level” (2 March 2017)
The London Assembly has found that concern over housing among Londoners is at its highest recorded level, with 37% of Londoners citing it as one of the most important issues facing the country Read more...
Prosecution for landlord who breached prohibition order for poor condition of rental property (1 March 2017)
Peterborough City Council has prosecuted a landlord for breaching a prohibition order preventing him letting accommodation that had been found dangerous by the council Read more...
Spelthorne rent assured scheme offers landlords “hassle-free” private sector tenancies (28 February 2017)
Spelthorne Borough Council in Surrey has announced a new rent guarantee scheme for private landlords in and around the borough Read more...
Cornwall Council and partners deliver 100% affordable homes (27 February 2017)
Cornwall Council has announced that Homes for Cornwall is celebrating the success of a brand new development of 100% affordable homes in Blackwater Read more...
Claimants of Housing Benefit locked out of the rental market (20 February 2017)
Tenants who are claiming housing benefits are finding it difficult to find rented accommodation as landlords are increasingly operating a no DSS claimant (housing benefit) policy Read more...
Islington Council scraps council tax for care leavers (20 February 2017)
Islington Council in north London has announced that it is scrapping council tax for care leavers so that they will not fall into debt Read more...
Public support for suspending Right to Buy in Wales (20 February 2017)
Cardiff Council is considering an application by the Welsh Assembly to suspend Right to Buy Read more...
Welsh government announces £20m funding to build innovative homes for the future (14 February 2017)
Welsh Assembly Communities and Children Secretary Carl Sargeant has announced a new programme to deliver innovative models of housing to help increase the number of homes built in Wales Read more...
Nuisance neighbour has speakers and TV sets seized after breaching noise abatement notices five times (31 January 2017)
Reading Borough Council has confiscated equipment from a resident for breaching a noise abatement notice five times, following a successful prosecution for noise nuisance. Read more...
Housing developer prosecuted for breaching Tree Preservation Order (31 January 2017)
Reigate and Banstead Council has prosecuted housing developer Shanly Homes for wilful damage to two protected trees in Redhill, Surrey. Read more...
Government to cap legal costs for medical negligence claims (31 January 2017)
The government has announced that it intends to impose a cap on costs legal firms recover in medical negligence cases. Read more...
Herefordshire consults on social housing and affordable housing (31 January 2017)
Herefordshire Council is consulting on proposals to change the current social and affordable rented housing lettings system across the county, in partnership with Herefordshire’s housing associations. Read more...
Luton Council’s Rogue Landlord Team raids unlicensed HMO (30 January 2017)
Luton Council’s Rogue Landlord Team has raided an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), where six tenants were found living in a three-bedroom property which breached a number of management regulations. Read more...
Sadiq Khan Opens Emergency Homeless Shelters (25 January 2017)
The combination of the housing crisis and dropping temperatures is putting increasing pressure on the UK’s vulnerable and homeless. In response to warnings from homeless charities that current temperatures and putting rough sleepers in life-threatening situations Sadiq Khan has initiated the opening of emergency shelters across London. Read more...
Stoke-on-Trent named as affordable Starter Homes area (24 January 2017)
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has announced that young first-time buyers in Stoke-on-Trent are being given a boost onto the housing ladder, after the city was named one of 30 local authority partnerships to spearhead a national house building scheme. Read more...
Manchester sets out plan to build up to 2,000 affordable homes every year (23 January 2017)
Manchester City Council has announced a new plan to accelerate the delivery of affordable homes in the city and create up to 2,000 affordable homes every year. Read more...
Extra £48m to be made available to councils to help prevent homelessness (19 January 2017)
Local Government Minister Marcus Jones has confirmed that councils are to receive a further £48 million in government funding to help deliver new and expanded services to prevent and reduce homelessness. Read more...
Will discounted starter homes make housing affordable to first-time buyers? (17 January 2017)
Housing minister Gavin Barwell pledges that the first wave of discounted ‘starter homes’ will be built in 2017 in 30 local authority areas – but critics say they may not be ‘affordable’. Some commentators have argued the new homes will do little to help those on middle to low incomes. Read more...
£7.8m funding to prevent homelessness in Wales (17 January 2017)
The Welsh government Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, Carl Sargeant, has announced £7.8 million in funding for the Homelessness Prevention Programme for 2017-2018. Read more...
Sheffield Council to build up to 1,000 new starter homes (16 January 2017)
Sheffield City Council is to build up to 1,000 new starter homes thanks to a successful funding bid to central government. Read more...
Crawley cracks down on housing fraud (13 January 2017)
Crawley Borough Council has announced that its Corporate Fraud and Inspections Team has saved hundreds of thousands of pounds and returned homes to the council’s stock as a result of targeted efforts to stamp out housing fraud. Read more...
Leicester City Council to make final decision on £2.1m investment in new council homes (13 January 2017)
Leicester City Council has announced that it is to build new council homes by developing three former city council hostels in a £2.1 million project. Read more...
Croydon Council awarded £1.4m to tackle homelessness (12 January 2017)
Croydon Council has secured £1.4 million to help with tackling homelessness in the borough. Read more...
Peterborough landlord prosecuted for offences relating to HMO (12 January 2017)
A landlord in Peterborough has been prosecuted by Peterborough Council for multiple offences relating to a house in multiple occupation (HMO). Read more...
“1,400 more patients accessing mental health services every day” (11 January 2017)
In a statement to the House of Commons on Monday (09/01/17), Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt sad that, under the current government, a total of 1,400 more patients were accessing mental health services every day, compared to figures for 2010. Read more...
Portsmouth City Council to build further 200 new homes (11 January 2017)
Portsmouth City Council has announced that it is building more than 200 new homes to ease housing waiting lists and generate rental income. Read more...
16-month jail sentence for housing fraud (10 January 2017)
Birmingham Crown Court has jailed a man from Moseley in Birmingham, who lied to get a council house. Read more...
Haringey Council to announce private development partner in February (5 January 2017)
Haringey Council in north London has said it will announce in February who will partner the council in delivering one of the country’s largest housing regeneration programmes. Read more...
Extra £7 billion unlocked for affordable homes (5 January 2017)
The government has announced that a further £7 billion in funding is being unlocked as part of its affordable housing programme. Read more...
First local authorities to begin construction of starter homes this year (4 January 2017)
The government has announced that thousands of starter homes are to be built specifically for those aged 23 to 40. Read more...
Housing association prosecuted after putting tenants at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (4 January 2017)
A housing association in Scotland has been prosecuted for putting residents at risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Read more...