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As of 1st September, squatting in residential properties has become a criminal offence. Squatters are people who live in a building without the owner’s permission, whether it is a commercial building or residential property. There have been some instances where squatters have even moved in to houses while the owners are away on holiday, or… Continue Reading
Category Archives: News
Mark Prisk Named as New Housing Minister, as Grant Shapps is Promoted
Ex-construction minister Mark Prisk has been named as the new Housing Minister, after it was confirmed that Grant Shapps has been promoted to the cabinet. Mr Shapps will be a cabinet minister without portfolio and Conservative party chair. The post was previously held by Baroness Warsi, who is moving to take on a dual ministerial… Continue Reading
Your Property is Now Showing on the NEW Rightmove iPad App!
Search traffic generated by people using a mobile device continues to grow at a staggering rate. At peak times up to 30% of searches to Rightmove are being performed via smartphones and tablets. Rightmove have just released their new iPad app. It is free to download from the Apple app store. This exciting new release… Continue Reading
Think Tank Encourages Social Landlords to Sell Valuable Properties
If housing associations and councils were to sell their high value social housing when it becomes vacant they could raise enough money to fund up to a further 170,000 homes a year, according to a report from think tank, Policy Exchange The National Housing Federation, NHF, has described the findings ‘fundamentally flawed’ and have warned… Continue Reading
Councils Favour “Pay to Stay” Plans
Wandsworth council in London has backed a call for wealthier social tenants to pay higher rents. In a response to a government consultation on the ‘pay to stay’ proposals launched in June this year , Conservative-run Wandsworth Council said that tenants with annual incomes of more than £60,000 should not benefit from sub-market rent. The consultation paper,… Continue Reading
Social Tenants Take the Bedroom Tax Hit
Work being carried out by Wirral Partnership Homes has found that 45% of its tenants who will be affected by the penalty for under-occupation will accept the reduction to benefit payments rather than move to smaller properties. From April 2013, working age social tenants who are receiving housing benefit will see payments cut if they… Continue Reading
Woman Jailed for Fraudulent Social Housing Application
Rita Lambani, 35, of Laindon, Essex, was convicted of fraud at Basildon Magistrates Court this month after failing to declare she owned a home when she applied for social housing. An investigation found that Ms Limbani had not declared a property was registered in her name, that she paid the mortgage and that she rented… Continue Reading
Two Landlords Sentenced for Ignoring Gas Safety Rules
Two Sheffield landlords have been given suspended jail sentences for failing to maintain gas appliances at a flat they rented out. The problem was first identified when council housing officers went to the property in Gleadless Road and noticed a gas fire’s flame burning yellow. A subsequent investigation carried out by a Gas Safe Register… Continue Reading
Rents Rise Over 4% in Last 12 Months
The cost of renting a home has risen by over four percent in the last year, according to the RICS Residential Lettings Market Survey, with many would-be buyers continuing to find themselves locked out of the sales market. Click here for the latest RICS Residential Lettings Survey (May – July 2012) The cost of renting a… Continue Reading
Landlords Urged to Vet Tenants More Carefully
Buy-to-let landlords are being urged to boost their vetting procedures after figures showed the number of tenants in severe arrears increased by almost a quarter in a year. The country’s return to recession has meant frozen or lower wages and high unemployment. Combine this with rising rents and an increase in the cost of living,… Continue Reading