A survey of local housing allowance claimants found a series of 'systematic flaws' with the implementation of the allowance. Instead of promoting fairness, choice, and personal responsibility for claimants, the allowance in its existing form was actually taking choice away from them and causing serious financial hardship, with 95 per cent of respondents struggling to manage their finances.
Source: For Whose Benefit?, Shelter
Links: Shelter press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Dec
A survey found that 1.3 million low-income households in private rented accommodation were struggling or falling behind with their finances, and that many felt under mental and emotional strain. Many landlords were also finding it hard to cope during the economic recession, with more than 40 per cent either struggling sometimes or in constant financial difficulty.
Source: Taking the Strain: The private rented sector in the recession, Shelter (020 7505 4699)
Links: Report | Shelter press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Nov
The government began consultation on new legal protection for tenants who were vulnerable to being evicted with little or no notice as a result of the repossession of a private landlord's property.
Source: Lender Repossession of Residential Property: Protection of Tenants, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Consultation document | DCLG press release
Date: 2009-Aug
A report criticized failings in the system for regulating private letting agents. It called for urgent action by the government to introduce statutory regulation of letting agents, to protect the interests of both tenants and landlords. This needed to include measures to prevent agents from imposing charges on tenants in addition to the rent.
Source: Let Down: CAB evidence on letting agents and their charges, Citizens Advice (020 7833 2181)
Links: Report | Citizens Advice press release | Guardian report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-May
The government announced a package of proposed measures designed to strengthen consumer protections for tenants living in private rented accommodation, in response to an independent review. There would be a 'light-touch' national register of every private landlord in England in order to increase protection for both vulnerable tenants and good landlords.
Source: The Private Rented Sector: Professionalism and Quality – The government response to the Rugg Review – Consultation, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Consultation document | Hansard | DCLG press release | Rugg report | Crisis press release
Date: 2009-May
A survey found that the new local housing allowance had resulted in an increase in the number of tenants in rent arrears, tenancies being terminated, a reduced willingness on the part of landlords to let to LHA claimants, and in many instances landlords raising their rent levels to the level of the LHA.
Source: Press release 28 April 2009, Crisis (020 7015 1800) Links: Crisis press release
Date: 2009-Apr
A briefing paper examined the private rented housing sector in Northern Ireland.
Source: The Private Rented Sector in Northern Ireland: Profile and key issues, Briefing Note 50/09, Research and Library Service/Northern Ireland Assembly (028 9052 1078)
Links: Briefing
Date: 2009-Apr
A report said that most landlords were willing to rent to benefit tenants, but that they were losing confidence in the way the local housing allowance worked. This was discouraging landlords from offering accommodation to new benefit tenants. The government and local authorities should initiate an 'automatic trigger' for direct payment to landlords at one month's rent arrears, in order to enable local authorities to limit the amount of rent arrears generated by a tenant.
Source: Local Housing Allowance: NLA Members' Survey, National Landlords Association (020 7840 8900)
Links: Report | NLA press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Apr
The Scottish Government published a review of the private rented sector. The 'vast majority' of tenants were satisfied with their landlord, agent and accommodation: but there was evidence that others were subject to poor standards of property and management, and that rental affordability for particular groups was an issue.
Source: Scottish Government Review of the Private Rented Sector: Key Findings and Policy Implications, Scottish Government (web publication only) | Valerie Strachan and Tony Donohoe, Views and Experiences of Tenants in the Private Rented Sector in Scotland, Scottish Government | Tony Crook, Peter Kemp and Ed Ferrari, Views and Experiences of Landlords in the Private Rented Sector, Scottish Government | Ann Flint and Hector Currie, Bringing Private Sector Empty Houses Into Use, Scottish Government
Links: Report (1) | Summary | Report (2) | Report (3) | Report (4) | Summary | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Mar