New housing minister appointed

After just six months in post Dominic Raab has been replaced as housing minister by Kit Malthouse, as a result of a cabinet reshuffle arising from Brexit inspired resignations. The change happened just weeks before the launch of a delayed... View Article

Student hotspots in the north are the best bet for buy-to-lets

Buy-to-let landlords squeezed by recent tax changes are being advised they may find better returns by targeting northern towns and cities with sizeable student populations. University towns and cities where housing is cheap, such as Liverpool and Middlesbrough, are providing... View Article

1.75m private renters never expect to buy a home

About 1.75 million people who rent their homes do not believe they will ever be able to buy a property, according to analysis of the English Housing Survey carried out by the Labour Party. This is an increase of 585,000... View Article

Scotland to legislate for sprinklers in all new social homes

The Scottish Government is to pass new laws forcing developers to include sprinklers in all new social homes, during the lifetime of the current parliament. Housing minister Kevin Stewart made the pledge after an opposition backbencher, David Stewart, Labour MSP... View Article

Wales looks to ban letting fees

The Welsh Government has introduced a bill to ban the charging of fees for many standard tenancy transactions in the private rented sector. This has the potential to save tenants many hundreds of pounds and follows similar steps taken in... View Article

Council raid finds 16 living in a two-bedroom flat

A dawn raid by enforcement officers from Brent Council found sixteen people squeezed into a two bedroom flat above a shop in north west London, in conditions described as “Dickensian” by a local councillor. Council staff were supported by police... View Article

Anchor and Hanover in merger talks

Two large landlords who provide care services and homes to the elderly are in merger talks over forming a 53,000-home organisation and the biggest specialist housing association in the country. If the merger goes ahead, the new Anchor Hanover Group... View Article

BUPA fined £3m after death of elderly resident

A national care provider has been hit with a huge £3m fine following the death of a resident at an Essex nursing home after he contracted Legionnaires’ disease. Kenneth Ibbetson, 86, died three months after moving into Hutton Village Nursing... View Article

Second developer to pay for removing cladding on highrises

Taylor Wimpey is to pay the costs of replacing flammable cladding from a private highrise housing development in Glasgow, following the example of Barratt Homes. It is understood leaseholders at the Glasgow Harbour development were facing a bill of £10m... View Article