Housing

Local authorities in Scotland received more than 2,500 applications for short-term lets licences in first six months of new licensing regime

Publishing new statistics, Housing Minister reminds existing hosts who have not yet applied for a license that they have until 1 October 2023 to submit a valid application

Number of homelessness applications in Scotland exceeds pre-pandemic level

Annual figures for 2022/2023 also show highest ever number of households in temporary accommodation, with average stay exceeding 220 days

Competition and Markets Authority to issue revised consumer protection guidance for lettings agents in light of evidence that tenants are struggling to exert their rights

Authority also sets out areas for further investigation and potential enforcement action, including sham licences, excessive guarantee clauses and discrimination against benefit claimants

On any given night, one in a hundred households in England are experiencing ‘core homelessness’

2023 Homelessness Monitor reports that the ability of local authorities to prevent homelessness is being constrained by the freeze to housing benefit, deep cuts to DHPs, and a reduction in the supply of affordable rental properties

Court of Appeal rules that Waltham Forest’s decision to offer accommodation outside of London to homeless single parent who was subject to benefit cap was not unlawful

Webb-Harnden v London Borough of Waltham Forest [2023] EWCA Civ 1992

Third of private renters could not pay even one month’s rent if they lost their job

Calling for more social homes to be built, Shelter says this is the 'only sustainable, long-term alternative to expensive, unstable private renting'

Number of Ukrainian households found to be owed statutory homelessness duty in England continues to rise

New statistics show that number of households owed duty rose to 7,300 in July 2023, an increase of more than a thousand compared to the previous month

Home Office writes to Afghan households given Notice to Quit bridging accommodation to confirm support arrangements for seeking settled accommodation

Advice to Afghan families includes that they will receive only one allocation of an appropriate settled home

Whether the relief duty under section 189B of the Housing Act 1996 had ended by reason of the provision of suitable accommodation and, if so, whether the appellant also was not homeless and was not owed the main housing duty under section 193

Ahamed, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Haringey [2023] EWCA Civ 975

Two-thirds of local authority senior housing managers are insufficiently qualified to meet new government requirements

LGA warns that complying with changes being introduced under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 is likely to cost councils £17.9 million in the first two years

Changes in regulations and rising interest rates may have contributed to uncertainty for landlords and an increased number of possession actions, says MoJ

As new statistics highlight a 24 per cent increase in possession claims, government suggests that landlords have been selling their properties and exiting the rental market

Welsh Government confirms that it will not amend homelessness legislation that provides for time limits on how long people can be placed in bed and breakfast accommodation

Following consultation, Minister says that change would not appropriate or justifiable in light of the impact on the lives of people affected

Government to introduce ‘significantly tougher’ penalties for employers and landlords who allow illegal migrants to work for them or rent their properties

Civil penalties to increase to up to £60,000 per worker for employers and up to £10,000 per tenant for landlords from early 2024

Joint Ombudsman investigation finds that council and its ALMO failed a vulnerable resident when she made a complaint about anti-social behaviour

Council order to apologise to tenant, pay £550 compensation, and put in place an action plan for dealing with alleged perpetrators of anti-social behaviour in the future

Round-up of recent decisions from the Housing Ombudsman

Round-up of recent Upper Tribunal housing case law

Respite Rooms programme for victims of violence and abuse was highly effective in providing accommodation and support to a small group of very vulnerable people

However, DLUHC programme evaluation of pilot initiative highlights that a lack of suitable move-on provision created a major challenge