Category: Council Houses

Argument over Short-Life property in Lambeth

Local councils across the country have been increasingly called upon to come up with new ways to alleviate the housing crisis during a time where the government is cutting funding to them. Therefore, many have had to make decisions that have proved unpopular, such as building on green belt land or cutting funding to certain projects in order to invest in housing projects. Now, Lambeth council is being criticised for its plan to sell off their remaining short-life properties in order to invest […]

Birmingham Council raises amount of council house rent by 4.9%

Local councils sometimes have to make difficult decisions, and more often than not the outcome of these decisions prove unpopular with local residents, especially if they are going to lose out on money. Birmingham Council has recently had to announce that they are planning on increasing the rent on council tax properties by a substantial 4.9% in order to cover the costs of a £336 million debt handed to them by the government last year.
The debt was given to the council after changes in […]

Are welfare reforms exacerbating homeless situation?

Two leading landlord organisations are warning that the Government’s controversial welfare reforms have created even more of a housing crisis for young single people.
A survey conducted by the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) and the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) has found that members feel they will need to get landlord insurance quotes on more properties if they want to satisfy the demand for single rooms the change in Government welfare policy has brought about. Over 1000 landlords took part in the survey but only 6% […]

Older Residents Set to Benefit from New Housing Development

One of the biggest housing associations in the United Kingdom has announced their plans to build 186 affordable homes which will be specifically designed to appeal to older residents. Within the next two weeks, Orbit Homes will submit their formal planning application to Warwick District Council to build the £26 million independent living complex in Leamington.
Both Orbit Homes and their partner in the scheme (Coventry-based Deeley Group) believe the site is perfectly located for this type of development. The project is on the site of […]

Tenants Move into New Council Eco-Friendly Bungalows

A Staffordshire family of three are delighted with their new home which has been built by their council to help meet a chronic shortage of housing for those with special needs. Hannah and Stephen Lowe have moved into the bungalow with their 16-year-old son, Josh. Their new home is one of seventeen eco-homes built in the area as part of a £1.8 million project to meet the demand for two-bedroom bungalows.
Building work on the bungalows finished in April and all of the homes which come […]

Dudley to Get New Council Housing Thanks to HCA Money

More affordable houses are coming to the West Midlands town of Dudley as approval for the first new council homes in two decades was given after Dudley Council was awarded £4million from the Coalition Government’s Home and Communities Agency (HCA).
Developers will build eighty new homes throughout the borough and the HCA are delighted to be supporting the local council with the investment to deliver new homes. The much needed homes will be of a high quality and cater for a range of different housing needs […]

Biggest Housing Development for Decades Planned for North Yorkshire

Plans have been revealed for 290 much needed new homes in Kirkbymoorside. The developer plans to build 240 houses which would include a number of affordable homes and another 50 apartments for elderly people with care needs.
The proposed scheme from Gladman Developments of Cheshire will be studied by local councillors, planners and residents who will discuss the effect it would have on the town. The developer will be posting out questionnaire leaflets throughout the town publicising the exhibition about the scheme taking place at Kirkbymoorside […]

Clean Up Operation Welcomed by Tenants

Bromley Council along with other key members of the Safer Bromley Partnership removed eight tonnes of rubbish in one day from the Groves Estate in Penge. Fence panels, fridges, doors and rubble were just a few of the items removed during the clean-up campaign.
The council were joined by the safer neighbourhood team and housing association Affinity Sutton, who helped out by removing two and a half tons of rubbish and painting over six square metres of graffiti from the estate. The London Probation Service also […]

Social Landlord to Begin Renovation of Their Properties

West Lancashire Council have announced that they will be providing £8m worth of investment to replace windows and improve energy efficiency measures in the Lancashire town of Skelmersdale. The much needed improvements will be part-funded by an 8% rent increase for tenants.
Half of the funds will be used to replace the remainder of the single-glazed windows in the council owned properties with double-glazing. A further £1.5m will be put towards installing central heating in the flats which use storage heaters and putting new boilers into […]

Rent increase to pay for council plan to buy back housing

Rugby Borough Council is very close to buying back former properties from Central Government and it could mean a weekly rent rise of 5% for tenants. It has also been revealed that the council will be taking on £75million of debt when the agreement takes place.
The council will have to make a one-off payment in order to buy them out of the national funding scheme for council housing. They, like any other council in England have no choice but to do so at a price […]