CIEH Housing Policy Bulletin #53
31 May 2016
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Government
- The Housing and Planning Act 2016
The Housing and Planning Act has now received Royal Assent. The CIEH attended a briefing meeting at DCLG on 23 May regarding the Government’s plans for implementation of the measures in the Act concerned with the private rented sector.
The following highlights may be of assistance:
The Act has also now been published, a link can be found here.
During the meeting with DCLG we were promised the Government’s working definition of a “rogue landlord”; this is set out in this PQ from Lord Greaves.
Anticipated time table for implementation of key measures:
Banning Orders
Sept – October 2016 Formal consultation
October 2017 Regulations to come into force
Civil Penalties and Rent Repayment Orders
March 2017 Guidance published
October 2017 Implementation
Rogue Landlord Database (Technical working Group to consider content and process, legal and IT issues)
October 2017 Implementation
Client Money Protection and Electrical Safety checks (enabling power included to require letting/property agents to be a member of a CMP scheme and requiring landlord to carry out – and give evidence of – electrical safety tests every 5 years)
Both subject to current reviews to decide whether regulations required
Extending Mandatory Licensing To be decided, commitment remains, means/what to be decided (no formal Government response until after EU referendum)
March 2017 Guidance to be published (as part of guidance for CP and RROs)
Revised Fit and Proper Person test
April 2017 Implementation
Jan – March 2017 Draft regulations published
- Landlord and Tenant Bill
A link to the first reading debate on Tom Brake MP’s private members Bill can be found here
- Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations
A link to the debate in the House of Lords can be found here
- DCLG Estate Regeneration statement
DCLG # Estate regeneration: statement # May 2016
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CIEH Updates
- Housing and Health Conference: 11th May 2016
A link to the conference presentations can be found here
- CIEH Submission to Cabinet Office review into “unnecessary regulatory barriers to growth placed on business”
A link to the CIEH submission can be found here
- CIEH media story on migrant worker accommodation.
Some colleagues may not have seen the recent EHN online story, also reported in The Guardian. Links can be found below:
https://social.shorthand.com/redjourno/3yM1xsWekY/borderlands
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Partner Updates and new reports
- Blog article on housing and health from John Rouse, Director General of the Dept. of Health
Thanks to Peter Archer for alerting me to this article:
https://jonrouse.blog.gov.uk/2016/04/28/good-health-begins-at-home/?platform=hootsuite
- Chief Fire Officers Association fire safety guidance on Air bnb
CFOA have met with Airbnb to discuss fire safety and have produced this guidance.
- The Cost Benefit to the NHS from Preventative Housing Interventions
Poor housing costs the NHS at least £1.4billion each year. This new report from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) models the potential scale of NHS cost benefits of pro-active interventions to remove specific housing risk factors in the 3 million homes of people with long-term illness and/or disability. In their analysis the BRE uses data about the incidence of particular housing hazards (cold homes/falls risk etc.) in the homes of at risk groups alongside the resulting costs to the NHS that arise from specific housing defects. Using the average costs of the interventions necessary to remove such hazards, the model creates indicative payback periods for large scale, preventative works to make homes safer and warmer.BRE note that there is further work to be done to also quantify the potential further fiscal gains of such prevention to social care. This important initiative was prompted by the BRE’s involvement in Care & Repair England’s Catch 22 project event back in 2014 – the ‘Bletchley Day’ – which brought together academics, practitioners and other stakeholders with an interest in this field. Much has been written about ‘prevention’ in the context of NHS costs, and the NHS Five year forward view called for expansion of evidence based preventative action. This report is a welcome and timely contribution which will be of interest to those working in the fields of health and housing. The report, ‘The cost-benefit to the NHS arising from preventative housing interventions’ can be purchased from BRE either as a download or in paper format.
Bathing Adaptations: Innovative Research
The BATH-OUT Trial is an innovative research project looking into the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial of bathing adaptations for older adults and their carers. Researchers at the University of Nottingham are carrying out a research project, in collaboration with Nottingham City Council, examining the links between bathing adaptations and the health and wellbeing of older adults. The researchers are aiming to test whether it is feasible to conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of bathing adaptations for older adults and their carers. The study is funded by NIHR School for Social Care Research, commencing in Sept 16 with results expected in early 2018. It is being led by Dr Phillip Whitehead and has a broad based project advisory group chaired by Sue Adams, CEO of Care & Repair England.
See here for full launch statement http://careandrepair-england.org.uk/news/
To receive updates about the study please email and request to go onto the study mailing list. Alternatively you can follow the study on twitter @bath_out
Further information can be found on the project webpage: www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/bath-out
Recent reports of note
Shelter # Home and away. The rise in homeless families moved away from their local area # May 2016
NEA # Response to the DECC consultation on the Warm Home Discount Scheme # May 2016
Crisis # Social lettings agencies: how to plan, launch and sustain an income generating SLA # 2015