A report evaluated the Tenant Futures programme, which offered residential training to social housing tenants in England who wanted to play active roles in their housing organizations and in the community. It said that the benchmarks set out for the training period had been exceeded or nearly met and tenants were generally very positive about their experience, but had made some suggestions on how the programme could be improved. The report also examined the outcomes from a connected small grants programme.
Source: Eileen Herden, Tenant Futures: External evaluation of the National Communities Resource Centre Tenant Training Programme, CASEreport 84, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (London School of Economics)
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Sep
An article examined the concept of security in rented housing. Drawing on a study of the rental systems in nine developed countries, it identified factors that influenced security of occupancy, to test a new framework that incorporated the interactions between legislation/regulation, housing market conditions, public policies, and cultural norms. The article concluded that the approach had the potential to inform understanding of security in the rented sector and to promote new directions for research.
Source: Kath Hulse and Vivienne Milligan, 'Secure occupancy: a new framework for analysing security in rental housing', Housing Studies, Volume 29 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jul
An article examined recent moves to withdraw security of tenure in social housing in England and Australia. It scrutinized the 'welfare dependency' argument and the claim that 'conditionality' mechanisms would incentivize social renters to (re)engage with the labour market; and also the argument that stressed equity considerations in ensuring that scarce social housing resources were targeted to those in greatest need. It said that individual social landlords' motivations would be crucial in shaping the practical impacts of the new regime.
Source: Suzanne Fitzpatrick and Hal Pawson, 'Ending security of tenure for social renters: transitioning to "ambulance service" social housing?', Housing Studies, Volume 29 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jul
A consultation paper was issued, setting out a draft code of practice for the private rented sector. The consultation would close on 30 April 2014.
Source: Draft Industry Code of Practice – Private Rented Sector Code (PRS Code), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Links: Consultation
Date: 2014-Apr
