Junior housing minister, Iain Wright, is attempting to speed up the house buying process by introducing new ‘good practice guidelines’ that state local authorities should aim to allow search companies to access information on property searches within one working day. Local authority searches are an integral component of home information packs (Hips), which were introduced
The Office for National Statistics has released its annual snapshot of life in Britain. It found there were 25 million households in the UK, with the average household numbering between two and three people, although the report highlights an increase in single-person households from 6 per cent in 1971 to 12 per cent last year.
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has been accused of complacency in its dealings with building societies. A former FSA worker told Lib-Dem spokesman Vince Cable that poorly qualified FSA officials, who had no background in the industry and didn’t understand its ‘community roots or limitation’, allowed building societies to expand into ‘risky areas’ and more
The number of housing organisations concerned by the recession has increased 30 per cent since October, with one in four now feeling the effects. Since the last survey six months ago – ‘before the recession really took hold’ – housing and regeneration projects have come to a standstill, redundancies have been announced and business models
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has said private developers, local councils and housing associations must work better together to manage land supply more efficiently to boost the supply of affordable housing. It argues that a poor grasp of land economics, an over reliance on section 106 agreements and an aversion to risk is hindering
A panel has been set up to ensure that new homes meet the needs of an increasingly ageing population. The housing our ageing population panel for innovation comprises of architects and specialists who will research good practice across Europe that will create housing for older people and improve the availability and choice of sustainable homes
Homeless charity, Crisis, has been investigating the experience single rough sleepers face when seeking help from local councils. Most were discouraged from filing in formal applications to register as homeless, and many were deterred from even seeing a housing officer. A spokesperson from the charity said that there was widespread practice of councils using the
More than one million children in Britain live in poverty despite having at least one parent in work, says a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The IPPR argues a raft of measures are required to lift the ‘forgotten million’ out of poverty, including: introducing a personal tax credit allowance (PTCA)
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has announced it is to play a leading role in promoting good practice and equality on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) issues in the housing sector. During the next 12 months, CIH will be looking at ways in which it can meet the needs of LGBT members and
An upcoming report from the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) calls for those involved in delivering affordable housing to see the recession as an opportunity to review and improve policy and practice. Councils, in particular, were told they currently lack the skills to assess the economic viability of affordable housing schemes, and needed to make