Liz Davies KC is a barrister at Garden Court Chambers, specialising in housing law and in particular law on allocation of social housing and homelessness law. She is the co-author of Housing Allocation and Homelessness: Law and Practice (Luba, Davies, Johnston & Buchanan, LexisNexis, 2022, 6th edition). This blog was published by Garden Court Chambers … Continue reading Government consultation on “reforms to social housing allocations”, publicised as “British homes for British workers”
Category: Tory government
Politicians “must dare to be bold” – the self-made economic straitjacket for a Labour government, should be abandoned
Our Open Letter on resolving the local government and housing crises quoted a Guardian editorial which said that the next government would either “have to repudiate Jeremy Hunt's cuts or enact them”. A similar point has been made by Jim Pickard and Sam Fleming in the Financial Times (‘Hemmed in’: Labour stores up trouble with … Continue reading Politicians “must dare to be bold” – the self-made economic straitjacket for a Labour government, should be abandoned
Labour’s choice: “repudiate Hunt’s disastrous cuts or enact them”
The Autumn statement offers austerity to local government and nothing for council housing “...the Labour Party has largely retreated to a similar pro-market and low-tax agenda as the Conservatives but with an emphasis on equality of opportunity and choice. This is a mistake which is amplified by the historic chance offered by the Tories poor … Continue reading Labour’s choice: “repudiate Hunt’s disastrous cuts or enact them”
Keeping 100% Right to Buy receipts is no substitute for abolishing it
The government has announced that councils can keep Right to Buy receipts from 2022/3 and 2023/4 and have five years to use them. They have also announced that the restrictions on acquisitions (buying homes on the market to add to the council housing stock) will be frozen at 50%. In other words councils can make … Continue reading Keeping 100% Right to Buy receipts is no substitute for abolishing it
Government social housing rent consultation: deadline October 12th
The deadline for responses to the government's social housing rent consultation is 11.45 p.m. On October 12th. This will determine a maximum rent level for next April's rent increase for 4 million council and housing association tenants in England. Face with the prospect of tenants having a double-digit rent increase the government has recognised that … Continue reading Government social housing rent consultation: deadline October 12th
Government rent consultation: rent freeze required
The government is holding a consultation on its rent policy for 'social housing', i.e. council and housing association homes. It's existing policy is a maximum increase of CPI+1% each year for five years. In the light of the current inflation level (9.9% in August) it says that its policy objective is “to ensure that social … Continue reading Government rent consultation: rent freeze required
Freeze the rent, not the tenants
Can they afford to turn it on? The “cost of living crisis” is pushing more and more tenants to the edge. Already inflation has reached 9%. If it's at that or a higher level in September then next years increase for four million social housing households could be 10% or more. In the private sector … Continue reading Freeze the rent, not the tenants
The government should end “affordable rent”and Right to Buy
This is a letter to Michael Gove in response to his speech at a Shelter in which he said that he would look at ways to produce more social rent homes. These comments are welcome but if you seriously want to see a big increase in the building of social rent homes then it is … Continue reading The government should end “affordable rent”and Right to Buy
‘Not too late’ to stop eviction deluge, say Big Issue, Shelter and others in joint letter
A growing alliance of housing organisations, politicians, trade unions,Black Lives Matter and anti-racism campaigns and others have written tothe Prime Minister today, calling for urgent Government intervention toavoid escalating evictions and homelessness. The letter says ‘Government can still act to avert the pending disasterfacing tens of thousands of renters across the UK. It’s not … Continue reading ‘Not too late’ to stop eviction deluge, say Big Issue, Shelter and others in joint letter
What’s wrong with Boris Johnson’s building plans?
Carol Hayton answers the question. On 30th June yet another meaningless slogan was plastered across the Downing Street lectern in an attempt to convince the British public that Boris Johnson’s government is moving forward with a recovery plan. The ‘Build Build Build’ sticker seemed to have been applied at a slightly lopsided angle, giving the … Continue reading What’s wrong with Boris Johnson’s building plans?
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 