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Council stands firm on plans to evict all convicted rioters

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Birmingham city council is pressing ahead with its plans to evict any tenant who is convicted for their part in the recent riots. The council’s housing chief, John Lines, will not hesitate to remove anyone convicted of looting or violent disorder.

Councillor Lines has also warned that the council want this tough action to extend to anyone who is living in a housing association property as well. The council now want feedback from their 70,000 tenants on the Coalition’s new housing possession proposals that were quickly drafted in response to the riots. Questionnaires will soon be dropping through the letterboxes of all tenanted properties, and the council hope for a quick response from tenants, some of whom will have had to claim on their household insurance policies due to the action of the rioters. Housing minister Grant Schapps has already confirmed that if a council tenant is found guilty of criminality during the riots, it would provide the landlord with grounds to seek possession of their home.

Councillor Lines said: “If they have stolen goods and have taken them back to their property, then they are using their council house for illegal purposes, which is a clear breach of their tenancy. But if they are involved in riots and do not have property in their homes then it is less clear cut and before we tackle them we need the tools from central government. We have 70,000 council houses and hundreds of these looters will be going before the courts, so I am quite positive that many of these criminals will be council tenants.”

Birmingham has thousands of law-abiding families who are on the waiting list for a council home, so no property will stand empty without home insurance quotes. Birmingham is just one local council who are delighted that the government has acted so quickly to give them the power of possession for anti-social behaviour by a tenant.

Tags: Council house tenants, eviction, household insurance, looters
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£29m council house boost

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Houses in a run down Manchester council estate are set for a revamp after town hall chiefs won a £29m government grant.

The money will be used to revamp properties in Collyhurst and the news comes less than three months after Coalition officials withdrew the much bigger fund of £250m to redevelop the area.

The new scheme will mean properties that are most in need of repairs will be refurbished and brought up to the national decent homes standard. A portion of the £29m will also be spent in West Gorton, the main location of the councils remaining housing stock. However, residents of Collyhurst who lobbied the Government after last year’s withdrawal, say the new funding is not enough and is just a fraction of what cash is needed.

Ray Fisher, chairman of the Collyhurst South Tenants’ Association, said “I was delighted when I heard that we had succeeded in getting some money but it is not as much as we had hoped. We had approached them for £39m which is what we would have needed for vital repairs to homes which need new boilers, double glazing, kitchens and bathrooms.”

Greater Manchester council have now confirmed they will put an extra £5m to the pot from the budget they will receive in April. The residents are understandably delighted with the outcome of their efforts in securing the extra funding and say they hope to see even greater improvements in the area. Neighbourhood leaders believe the refurbishments to their run down homes will see homeowners once more take pride in their homes and invest in them. They believe security measures and household insurance policies will proliferate and the area will improve dramatically.

The new money from The Homes and Communities Agency will be spread out over four years. Only £3.6m of the fund will be available during the first two years with another £5m being made available in 2013 and the bulk of the cash (around £20.6m) will not be available until the final year. It is hoped that the money will go a long way in improving homes in the city.

Tags: council house boost, Council house tenants, home insurance, home insurance news, home owners, household insurance
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Council Tax on empty homes in Scotland could be doubled

Monday, February 7th, 2011

Council leaders are set to be handed new powers which will help to raise millions of pounds in revenue by charging double council tax on homes that have been left empty.

The Housing Minister, Alex Neil, has unveiled this audacious plan from the Scottish Government which would allow councils to bring in additional revenue from properties which have been empty for over six months, with all of the extra money being made available to pay for more social housing. If Scotland’s 32 councils all doubled the current rate, up to £130 million could be raised during the next four years. The Government hope that it will encourage the property owner to rent out the home and allow tenants to move in who would cover the property with household insurance.

Housing Minister, Alex Neil, said “I am unveiling a bold new vision for housing in Scotland because I believe that everyone should have a safe, warm home which they can afford, and because we are committed to ensuring that this becomes a reality.

“These proposals are firmly rooted in financial reality and framed against the major challenges stemming from the credit crunch and the savage cuts inflicted by the UK Government. We are setting out a radical agenda with profound implications for the way we invest, the way we make use of existing housing, and the way we support our people in their housing choices.”

The Scottish Government believe that this change will increase the supply of much needed housing in Scotland and also help restore some confidence in the local property markets. The extra resources would raise enough cash to build 800 new affordable homes every year as well as supporting 1500 jobs in the construction sector. Second homes and holiday homes will not be included in the new proposal nor will a property where the occupier has moved to receive care.

Tags: Council house tenants, council tax, empty homes in Scotland, home insurance
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Local councillors want houses and not flats

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

“We need houses and not flats” was the view of Councillors from Burnham and Highbridge as they looked at proposed new plans which will see over 400 new properties built on the outskirts of both towns.

A meeting was held last week to discuss the long-term plans for the area and councillors are determined to get what in their view is the best deal for the towns. Unanimously they believe larger family houses as opposed to apartment style buildings are imperative for the towns’ infrastructure.

Councillors are determined the new area will be nothing like the homes built in the last few years, many homeowners have seen a rise in their household insurance policies because of social problems, and Chris Williams, one of the local councillors, asserted “100% we as a council want houses over flats. We have an arrangement with Sedgemoor District Council that they’ve built enough flats already in the last four years, and we want houses. We’ve got lots of flats that have been built in recent years because at the time they were more economically viable. But they’ve got tarmac out front and back, nowhere for children to play, and subsequently no social infrastructure, which leads to a high rate of crime.”

They council feel if houses are built on the site, it will then attract shops and encourage businesses to come to the town, and most importantly create a better environment for residents to live in. As the development area is a Greenfield site the towns will benefit from contributions by the developer who is eventually picked to build the homes.

The council anticipate that the developer chosen will build children’s play grounds, a bridge to the nearby supermarket and shops, and contribute to an upgrade of Market Street. This is all part of the council’s long-term strategy where they plan to create a 20-year vision of sustainable growth for the local area.

Tags: Council homes, Council house tenants, home insurance, Local councillors
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A Blackburn housing development for sale at bargain price

Friday, January 28th, 2011

A housing development which cost over three million pounds to finish is struggling to find a buyer and has been put on the market for a bargain £1.65million.

Offers are being invited for the 20 house block in Hamilton Street after the developers made the decision to try and cut their losses by selling up. In 2008 none of the houses had been sold despite being up for sale for almost two years after work had been completed. However, 16 of the houses now have tenants paying rent each month and the development has been put up for sale with the developer (Manchester based Milstream Ltd) likely to make a huge loss.

Earlier this week a well known estate agent in Blackburn claimed the development should never have been built.

James Whitehead said “These properties are in the middle of decaying housing, near a factory and on the match day run to Ewood Park. It is certainly not where I would invest my money if I had a choice. These houses were the wrong choice, built in the wrong place and at the wrong time.”

When the local newspaper contacted the estate agent handling the sale, a member of staff said the asking price was £1.65million but the developers would consider offers as low as £1.45million. The houses will be sold as one group and there was no possibility that the properties will be sold separately. The agent also confirmed that the existing tenants will remain in their properties which are covered by household insurance.

The developers were not available to comment but the fear that the economy will fall back into recession after the Coalition Government continues with its deficit-busting austerity measures and warnings that the squeeze will continue this year are thought to be behind the decision.

Tags: Council house tenants, home insurance, housing development
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Homeowners advised to safeguard their pipes as the big freeze returns

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

Experts in the household insurance business are warning homeowners of the possibility of flood damage and how to avoid it, as the UK prepares itself for another deluge of snow.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is urging households to contact their home insurance providers to give them advice on how best to tackle the problem of burst pipes. The association believe that insurance providers are ideally positioned to give their customers advice on a subject that can be crucial if the severe weather warnings prove to be correct.

Nick Starling speaking on behalf of the ABI said, “Damage caused by burst pipes can be widespread, traumatic and expensive, but carrying out simple preventive measures before leaving the property unattended for long periods of time can help stave off any problems.”

He advocated a number of measures that should be considered including; draining the central heating system should it need to be turned off for a significant length of time. Damage to attic water pipes can be prevented by opening the loft door and keeping the central heating system at a low temperature. Radiators and taps which suffer from leaks should also be repaired as soon as the problems are noticed.

He went on to stress that some of these procedures are best carried out by professional tradesman if the homeowner is unsure how to carry them out.

Of course the advice will be particularly relevant for second home owners, holiday home owners and landlords with properties currently without a tenant. If the owner cannot manage to check out the property himself due to geographical issues then it is advisable to have a neighbour or property management agent to get the job done for them.

Tags: Advice, Council house tenants, home insurance, home owners, household insurance, property market
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Edinburgh to get first new council houses in two decades

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

Work has begun on the first new council houses to be built in Edinburgh for over twenty years. In total 215 new houses are going to be built in Gracemount under a joint project between the Scottish Government and the City Council.

The first phase which will see 99 new properties built and local residents will be actively involved in the design of the development. There will be 66 of these new properties built in the first phase available for rent from the city council with the remaining 33 houses put aside for shared equity sale or mid-market rent. These properties will be the first council houses to be built in Edinburgh since the 1980s.

Councillor, Paul Edie, said “This is an exciting time for residents in Edinburgh as they can now see our new council homes taking shape. I’m confident these modern homes will set the standard for other councils across Scotland to follow. Nothing is more important to people than decent housing. It impacts on health, well-being and educational attainment. The city faces an acute shortage of housing which is becoming a limit on our prosperity. This is something we are working closely with the Scottish Government on and their £7.5 million investment in this programme is vital to meet this goal.”

The first of the new homes will be ready to rent from around October next year and will include flats and colony houses. The building work is being done by the Edinburgh-based firm, Cruden Group, who along with Hart Builders are part of Edinburgh’s £150 million Homes programme, which is hoping to build 1300 new homes across Edinburgh by 2018.

Everyone on the waiting list for a home which they can protect with household insurance are delighted that Edinburgh are again starting to build council homes after such a long gap. Thanks to money secured from the Scottish Government, the next phase of building will take place in Pennywell and Muirhouse.

Tags: Council homes, Council house tenants, Government, home insurance
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Tenants to benefit from new housing telephone service

Monday, October 18th, 2010

Housing chiefs in South Tyneside are ringing the changes in an aim to make life easier for their tenants. South Tyneside Homes, who manage the borough’s 18,000 council homes, have introduced a new single phone number system for all of its services.

Tenants can now ring a single number to report a repair, pay their rent, and have questions answered or bid for a council home. A team of sixteen customer service advisers have been trained so that they can now deal with over 80% of queries at the first call. They will also manage a new e-mail service, which will offer tenants another way of contacting the company.

Whenever tenants do call the Housing Services Centre, the system will recognise who they are and what it was the tenant last called about. It is hoped that this will lead to a faster, more efficient service, because the tenant will not have to repeat the same information to different people.

The introduction of the new service has come after tenants said that the current service on the telephone was inconsistent. Tenants also said that they were quite often passed from person to person before their query could be dealt with. Tenants with household insurance are delighted that any problems with their homes will be dealt with much quicker.

South Tyneside Homes Chief Executive, Isobel Riley, said “The opening of our new Housing Services Centre is a fantastic step in the right direction for the company. Having a dedicated central team to deal with all incoming calls will allow our customers to feel confident that they will be speaking to the right person at the first point of contact. It is also a great example of how we have taken feedback from customers on board.”

The new telephone lines will be open from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturday. As the new service develops, it is hoped to extend the weekday opening hours to 12 hours each day between 8am and 8pm.

Tags: Advice, Council house tenants, helpline, home insurance
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Millions being invested to improve housing situation

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

A multi-million pound programme which will see hundreds of new homes built throughout the East Riding area of Yorkshire, help to create jobs for people from the local area as well as cutting the waiting time for a home, has been announced.

Contractors from the local area are being used on the schemes in towns and villages throughout East Riding in a £46million pound programme which will see 331 new homes built. It is being jointly funded by East Riding Council, and the Homes and Communities Agency, who have contributed over £20m to the project.

The programme has given 16 new apprentices a foot in the door of the construction business and housing management sectors. Ten are employed by the council but are working with the construction companies, four are employed directly by the contractors and two have been employed in office-based roles. The skills that will be learned will be invaluable in their lifetime of working.

Nicole Williams, 16, from Beverley, is helping to construct buildings, work on the framework of the buildings as well as architraves, skirting and doors, all of which she hopes will boost her future job prospects.

She said “The NVQ is quite highly looked upon by employers, more than other qualifications. I hope it will lead to other jobs in the future. I’d like to stay with the council or become self employed in the future. I’m quite lucky to have this job. I don’t really know what I would have done if I wasn’t doing this. I’d have looked for something hands on.”

The programme will build high quality affordable homes in areas where they are needed the most. The new homes will help to cut down the number of people on the council’s housing waiting list. Anyone living in a home which is too big for them will be given the chance to trade the home for a more manageable property in a location which is right for them. Moving to a smaller home will also save them much needed money on their household insurance. The council hope this will free up a number of larger properties for families.

Tags: Council house tenants, home insurance, new builds, property market
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Local people to be put first for housing

Monday, October 11th, 2010

Birmingham council has warned that it intends to stop offering housing to all asylum seekers as they want to keep their resources for local people.

The council will not renew their agreement with the United Kingdom Border Agency when the current five-year contract -which saw them accommodate asylum seekers-ends in June 2011.

Councillor John Lines, a cabinet member for housing, said “Over the last year we have seen a sharp increase in the number of homeless people in Birmingham and we must help the citizens of this city first. With a long waiting list for homes, we really need all our properties for our people in these difficult economic times.”

The withdrawal of the agreement will affect around 190 homes and a similar number of families. This announcement comes as the government is planning sharp cuts to funding for municipal authorities.

Councillor Lines has strongly denied this had anything to do with saving money and has predicted that many more cities will follow suit. He also claims that a huge 7,500 homeless people will have applied for a home in Birmingham by the end of 2010 and their interests should be put before those of all asylum seekers. They will then have a chance to buy household insurance for protection of their new property. The existing agreement involved putting homeless people into bed and breakfast accommodation while asylum seekers were being given homes to live in. Birmingham will still meet their obligation to help the Coalition Government, and they will also work with the United Kingdom Border Agency and help them to find an alternative service which could be in the private sector.

Last month Birmingham Council sent letters to just under 26,000 public-sector employees warning them that jobs were at risk. Like many councils, they are scrutinising every public service.

Prime Minister, David Cameron, called the benefit system ‘completely out of control’ after a family of asylum seekers were placed in a property worth over two million pounds which cost £8,000 per month. The family were moved after they complained about living in a poor area. Mr Cameron says that this case was a vindication of the governments strict new £400 weekly limit on all housing benefit claims.

Tags: Council house tenants, Government, home insurance
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