Industry news
Cumbrian associations begin merger talks
from its parent organisation. Derwent & Solway and Two Castles are
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considering joining to form a new 7,000-home social landlord. The former is currently part of the Your Housing Group, which owns and manages more than 32,000 homes across the North of England. The decision to allow Derwent & Solway the
chance to leave the group followed a strategic review of their business activities last year. If approved by the boards, Derwent & Solway and Two Castles are expected to merge in the summer following consultation with tenants and the regulator. Mark Tattersall, chair of Your Housing Group, said: “During the review process it became clear
wo housing associations in northern England are in merger talks after one was given permission to break away
that Derwent & Solway would like to continue to focus its service provision around local administration and delivery. As this did not fit with the future strategic direction of Your Housing Group, the logical step was to explore the possibility of a demerger.” Rob Rimmer, chair of Derwent & Solway,
said: “We looked at a range of options before selecting Two Castles Housing Association as the best partner for Derwent & Solway to continue to serve our residents with high quality services with strong local oversight. Your Housing Group have been great in supporting the process.” This could be the second significant break
up in the north west after Cobalt’s decision to leave the Symphony Group on Merseyside, in order to retain its surpluses for spending in Liverpool.
Campaign to protect deposits succeeds
The Government has agreed to improve the security offered to tenants and landlords for millions of pounds they have deposited with agents, after a two-year campaign. Ministers will now consult on how
mandatory client money protection (CMP) should be implemented and enforced. CMP is a compensation scheme that recompenses landlords and tenants where an agent misappropriates their rent, deposit or other client funds. It is estimated that up to £2.7bn is held by
letting agents at any one time including rents and monies to cover maintenance and other costs. Of this some £700m is thought to be unprotected, leaving tenants and landlords vulnerable to agents who go bust or abscond.
Safeguards
ARLA Propertymark Chief Executive, David Cox commented on the campaign’s success, said: "CMP safeguards landlords and tenants in the event that agents misappropriate their money. With the ban on letting agent fees on the horizon, this is more important than ever before, so we are very pleased the Government has agreed to take it forward.” The ARLA website contains details of
several case studies where six-figure sums have been stolen from tenants and landlords by crooked agents, causing financial hardship and damaging the reputation of the sector. It is a requirement for ARLA Propertymark members to have CMP. Tenants are particularly vulnerable to
theft. Since 27 May 2015 agents have had to display whether they belong to a CMP scheme. This means that landlords can choose an agent depending on whether they belong to a scheme or not, but tenants do not have such choice.
Housing conditions in NI at record best level
Unfitness in Northern Ireland’s housing stock is at its lowest ever recorded level, according to data on conditions from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. The province’s House Condition Survey 2016
preliminary report showed that just 2 per cent of the 740,000 homes in the region are deemed unfit for occupation. Down from 2.4 per cent in 2009 and 20 per cent in 1974, when the surveys began. The NIHE attributed the reduction in unfitness
levels to a drop in the number of empty homes across Northern Ireland, with vacancy rates decreasing from 40,300 in 2006 to less than 27,000 in 2016. The proportion of vacant homes
recorded as unfit in the last survey was 29.6 per cent, compared to an average of one per cent across occupied housing. Of 15,130 unfit homes in the region, 12,110
are in the privately owned sector and 3,020 are in the private rented sector, while unfitness levels among social housing are negligible. The Chartered Institute of Housing are now calling for a new fitness standard that links housing to better health outcomes. Clark Bailie, chief executive of the NIHE,
said: “This highlights the importance of intervention in terms of grants, measures to tackle fuel poverty and investment in maintenance and repairs.”
18 | HMM May 2017 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
HMM Stats
There were 589,766 vacant dwellings in England on 3 October 2016, a decrease of 10,413 (1.7%) from 600,179 on 5 October 2015. Vacant dwellings are 2.5 per cent of the dwelling stock. Long term vacant dwellings numbered 200,145 on 3 October 2016, a fall of 3,451 (1.7%) from 203,596 on 5 October 2015.
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