SUMMARY OF THE LATEST NEWS ITEMS
Renting Homes Introduction
Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty has introduced the Renting Homes (Wales) bill into the National Assembly on the 9th February 2015. The bill is the culmination of many years work to simplify housing law in Wales. Read full article
Housing Act Homelessness & Allocations
The consultation periods have begun for the Code of Guidance to Local Authorities on the Allocation of Accommodation and Homelessness and three Statutory instruments relating to the homelessness provisions contained with Housing Act (Wales) 2014. Read full article
Research of failure cavity wall insulation in Wales – call for evidence
Due to the significant rise in the occurrence of mould growth, condensation and other issues in properties that appear to have received insulation in the past 15 years, Wales Zero Carbon hub has commissioned Building Research Excellence (BRE) to undertake research. Read full article
Should we put an end to right to buy and right to acquire?
Lesley Griffiths Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, who also has the housing brief, has announced consultation on the potential ending of Right to buy (RTB) and Right to Acquire (RTA) in Wales, if the electorate chooses the Labour Party to be the next government from May 2016, although presumably, will provide the evidence base to commit any party elected thereafter to the change. The consultation will run from 22nd January 2015 – 16th April 2015. Read full article
* REMINDER* REMINDER* Designation of Licensing Authority under Part 1 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014
The welsh Government are consulting on Part 1 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. Consultation began on the 19th December 2014 and will end on the 6th February 2015. The purpose of the consultation is to seek views on the intention to appoint a single licensing authority for Wales and for the authority to be Cardiff Council. Read full article
Responses required under part 2 of the Housing (Wales) 2014
The Welsh Government are making progress on the introduction of statutory orders relating to the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. Consultation commences on the 15th January 2014 and ends on the 26th February 2014. Read full article
Managing the impact of Welfare Reform changes on social housing tenants in Wales
The publication by the Auditor General for Wales of research relating to the management of welfare reform in Wales provides predictably sober reading. Read full article
Anti-Social Behaviour – The new Community Trigger
The Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2013 came into force earlier this year (2014) along with it a new provision disappointingly labelled ‘the community trigger’. We certainly prefer the term ‘community remedy’, and although the term is used by some forces the measure is collectively referred to as the community trigger or CT. Read full article
50:50 Campaign – Get more woman voices heard
Over the years women have played a key and influential role in our organisation. But we can do more to ensure that women continue to be heard. In this regard we wholly endorse the 50:50 by 2020 campaign. Read full article..
Mr Frosty! Cold Weather Payments Info
Winter is that time of year when as a community we should be watching gout for one another. Thousands of people succumb to cold winters particularly the elderly, people in ill health and the vulnerable. Thankfully, around 1.4 million pensioners will qualify for the discount this year, the vast majority of pensioners on Pension Credit will not have to do anything as they will receive a £140 discount automatically. Read full article..
Calling all tenants, new laws new rules
Have you experienced problems with housing New laws will shortly be considered in Wales to better protect tenants and enable them to understand their rights and obligations. Read full article
Tenant Organisations on the gurney
News that TAROE (Tenants And Residents Association of England) returned a £30,000 loss in their annual accounts for 2013-14 with just £5,500 income is worrying not just for England’ tenants. The implications of the government decision to withdraw funding is sure to have resonance for tenant representation here in Wales. Read full article
#HumanRightsDay 10th December 2014
Today across the world people are celebrating ‘Human Rights Day’. For the Welsh Tenants the principles contained within the Human Rights Convention are more important than ever. Since its adoption some 50 years ago, the convention has helped set a benchmark for a range of other treaties, rights and obligations of which countries have rightly signed up to. Click here to read full article
Attempts to curb unreasonable use of Section 21
Attempts to curb unreasonable use of section 21 Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather made a valiant attempt to introduce a private members bill that sought to provide a defence for tenants who are victims of retaliatory evictions. Read full article…
The Chancellors Autumn Statement to Parliament.
The Chancellors has now presented his Autumn statement to Parliament please click here for the summary of what was announced with various links
Checking the immigration status of prospective tenants
The UK government has introduced radically new provisions to check the immigration status of prospective tenants. The new provisions are contained in Part 3 of the Immigration Act 2014 which received Royal assent on the 14th May 2014. Read full article
Welsh Governments Tenant Participation Survey
Have your say in Tenant Participation for the future, the Welsh Government has extended the Tenant Participation Survey deadline. Read full article
Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre Wales
The Renewable Heat Incentive is a scheme that pays participants to heat their homes with renewables. Did you know that on average 75% of household energy bills are as a result of heating & hot water. Read full article
Make sure your home is safe this winter
Hello fellow tenants. It’s that time of year when things can turn quickly from a season of joy to a time of great distress. Making sure your home is safe is something every tenant should consider. Read full article for safety tips.
More than 2000 people have been on a housing waiting list for over a decade.
More than 2,000 people have been on a housing waiting list for more than a decade, according to research by the Welsh Liberal Democrats. The party claims nearly 9,000 people have been waiting for more than five years for a home. Cardiff Council had the highest number of people waiting for at least half a decade (1,297) while Caerphilly had the most waiting more than 10 years (375). Read full article
Affordable rent supply overtakes social rent
The number of affordable rent homes built in the last financial year exceeded the number of social rent homes for the first time, statistics released today show. Read article
County court granted an injunction to replace fire doors
There is a presumption that any renewals undertaken by tenants are an ‘improvement’, but that’s not necessarily always the case. What is seen as a renewal by the tenant, can in fact be a demotion of a standard, that’s why in tenancy terms there is a standard clause contained in contracts that requires the consent of landlords before making an improvement or altering fixtures in a property. Read full article
How a Council is ‘Making welfare work – locally’
Many local authorities in Wales are working hard to help mitigate the impact of welfare reforms. Clearly proactive work is helping to understand the impacts and help tenants to cope with the changes. View full article
Valleys To Coast offers tenants support to appeal the bedroom tax
Valleys to Coast Housing Association supported by partners, have informed their tenants they can appeal the bedroom tax in a new leaflet that explains that even if you have been awarded Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) you may still be able to appeal bedroom tax decision, read full article
Concerns raised about work related conditions for JSA Claimants who are homeless.
Welsh Tenants have been informed that due to concerns raised about work related conditions for JSA claimants who are homeless the Department for Work and Pensions are introducing ‘easements’ from Monday 21 July. View full article
Welsh Housing Quality Standards – Focus On Delivery Charter
The charter is aimed at social landlords seeking to involve their tenants in monitoring not just the bricks and mortar of WHGS planning and delivery but also services.
A helpful tool has been developed with the support of Caerphilly Tenants Information Exchange, Caerphilly CBC and APA Ltd together with the Welsh Tenants and funded by the Tenant Empowerment Grant scheme: click here to download charter
