Housing

Scottish Government publishes first annual progress report on Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan

Report highlights action on 39 out of 49 measures with plans to start the remaining 10 this year

Extension of seven day limit on unsuitable temporary accommodation in Scotland supported by majority of consultation responses

Respondents also agree that new temporary accommodation standards should be based on guidance published by CIH Scotland and Shelter Scotland

Information required to be given to council tax payers about the adult social care precept

New statutory instrument

Law Commission sets out proposals to make it simpler, cheaper and faster for leaseholders to buy their freehold or extend their lease

New report includes three key schemes to reduce the premium payable for existing and future leaseholders to ‘enfranchise’ their homes

Scottish Government announces details of new licensing scheme for the short-term rental sector

Local authorities will be given new powers including to set conditions around short-term lets licences and to put in place planning control areas to tackle ‘hot spots’

Government announces £4 million funding for local authorities to take enforcement action against criminal landlords and letting agents

Fund will 'drive up standards in the private rented sector for renters across the country', says Housing Secretary

Money alone cannot solve homelessness crisis in Wales, National Assembly Committee warns

New report on mental health and substance misuse in rough sleepers identifies need for better integration of health and housing services, stronger leadership, and services commissioned for longer periods

Department for Communities confirms launch of pilot mediation service for the private rented sector in Northern Ireland

Government confirms release of £263 million to support local authorities in England to eliminate homelessness and rough sleeping

Funding will be delivered through the Flexible Homelessness Support Grant and the Homelessness Reduction Grant

Scottish Government commits to introduction of legislation to improve and maintain tenement flats across Scotland

However, response to final report from Parliamentary Working Group on Tenement Maintenance warns that aspiration for Act of Parliament in 2025 'may not be achievable'

Queen’s Speech introduces new Renters’ Reform Bill that will abolish ‘no-fault’ evictions and create ‘lifetime deposits’

However, government also outlines plans to make it easier for landlords to gain possession of their property 'where there is a legitimate need for them to do so'

10 million people across England are living in homes that don’t meet the government’s basic standard of decency

'Real leadership' needed from government and the housing sector to avoid millions more lives being blighted, say Ageing Better and Care & Repair England

Welsh Government announces new five-year rent policy for social housing

Policy aims to balance tenant affordability with ambitions to build more homes, says Minister

Court of Appeal considers whether county court has jurisdiction to determine issues relating to the amount of council tax payable by a claimant

[2019] EWCA Civ 2206

280,000 people in England are homeless, with many more only days away from joining them, says Shelter

New figures also show that 220,000 people were threatened with homelessness over the last year

Number of households that are homeless or threatened with homelessness in England increases by more than 11 per cent

New official statistics also highlight increase in number of households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty

High Court considers whether local authority complied with relevant legal principles in considering second homelessness application

[2019] EWHC 3480 (Admin)