Housing and Community
Charting the housing shortage and the challenges of the private rented sector.
Activists keep close eye on agents ahead of letting fees ban
Renters’ unions are ramping up action in the run-up to the letting fees ban that comes into force on Saturday 1 June.
Grenfell EH team stalled
As the government pledged £200 million to replace unsafe Grenfell-type cladding, work by a promised expert EH team has still yet to begin almost a year.
Union and collective action win back fees for renter
An Essex estate agent has been obliged to pay back £5,370 in upfront fees to a vulnerable renter.
Legal aid ‘deserts’ leave tenants at risk
Publicly funded services specialising in housing are not available in over half of local authorities in England and Wales.
Bristol City Council leads on tenant fees ban regulation
A centralised enforcement body to ensure compliance with the tenant fees ban has been appointed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Universal credit fuelling homelessness, say cash-strapped councils
Some 86% of councils say they are unlikely to meet their statutory duty to prevent homelessness, according to a survey by the New Local Government Network.
End of Section 21 just the beginning, say campaigners
Victory over the scrapping of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions was hard won but campaigners say more must be done.
Ombudsman finds father denied housing rights
Councils can’t just ‘wash their hands’ of homeless residents by putting them into a private rent without informing them of the consequences.
Renters’ union protests against letting agent
London Renters Union (LRU) mounted a protest outside an Essex letting agents that has left a former potential tenant more than £4,800 out-of-pocket.
Tenants 'not protected from revenge evictions'
Slashed council budgets mean tenants aren’t being protected from revenge evictions and the government needs to scrap Section 21 no fault evictions.
