To download it, right click the link and 'save as' or 'save target as'.Teeline Gold Wordlist C (60 WPM)
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Teeline Gold Wordlist C (60 WPM)
To download it, right click the link and 'save as' or 'save target as'.Teeline Gold Wordlist C (60 WPM)
Teeline Gold Wordlist C (60 WPM)
To download it, right click the link and 'save as' or 'save target as'.Teeline Gold Wordlist C (60 WPM)
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Teeline Gold Wordlist A (60 WPM)
Teeline Gold Wordlist A (60 WPM)
Teeline Gold Wordlist A (60 WPM)
Teeline Gold Wordlist A (60 WPM)
Teeline Gold Appendix 4, Days Months Seasons and Countries
Teeline Gold Appendix 4, Days Months Seasons and Countries
Teeline Gold Appendix 4, Days Months Seasons and Countries
Teeline Gold Appendix 4, Days Months Seasons and Countries
Teeline Gold Appendix 3, Word Groupings (FAST)
Teeline Gold Appendix 3, Word Groupings ( FAST )
Teeline Gold Appendix 3, Word Groupings (FAST)
Teeline Gold Appendix 3, Word Groupings ( FAST )
Teeline Gold Appendix 3, Word Groupings (SLOW)
Teeline Gold Appendix 3, Word Groupings ( SLOW )
Teeline Gold Appendix 3, Word Groupings (SLOW)
Teeline Gold Appendix 3, Word Groupings ( SLOW )
Teeline Gold - Appendix 1, Special Outlines 60wpm
Teeline Gold - Appendix 1, Special Outlines 60wpm
Teeline Gold - Appendix 1, Special Outlines 60wpm
Teeline Gold - Appendix 1, Special Outlines 60wpm
Managing the managers / Balance of Power
Alex takes this approach to managing his superiors:
"Good managers recognize that a relationship with a boss involves mutual dependence and that, if it is not managed well, they cannot be effective in their jobs. They also recognize that the boss-subordinate relationship is not like the one between a parent and a child, in that the burden for managing the relationship should not and cannot fall entirely on the boss. Bosses are only human; their wisdom and maturity are not always greater than their subordinates'. Effective managers see managing the relationship with the boss as part of their job. As a result, they take time and energy to develop a relationship that is consonant with both persons' styles and assets and that meets the most critical needs of each."
PMID: 10245410 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Esperanza espouses this philosophy:
"Power comes from below; that is, there is no binary and all-encompassing opposition between rulers and ruled at the root of power relations, and serving as a general matrix - no such duality extending from the top down and reacting on more and more limited groups to the very depths of the social body" - Foucault, History of Sexuality
If I'm honest, I breathed a small sigh of relief upon hearing the news that French Anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss had passed away last month (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/03/claude-levi-strauss-dies)
Managing the managers / Balance of Power
Alex takes this approach to managing his superiors:
"Good managers recognize that a relationship with a boss involves mutual dependence and that, if it is not managed well, they cannot be effective in their jobs. They also recognize that the boss-subordinate relationship is not like the one between a parent and a child, in that the burden for managing the relationship should not and cannot fall entirely on the boss. Bosses are only human; their wisdom and maturity are not always greater than their subordinates'. Effective managers see managing the relationship with the boss as part of their job. As a result, they take time and energy to develop a relationship that is consonant with both persons' styles and assets and that meets the most critical needs of each."
PMID: 10245410 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Esperanza espouses this philosophy:
"Power comes from below; that is, there is no binary and all-encompassing opposition between rulers and ruled at the root of power relations, and serving as a general matrix - no such duality extending from the top down and reacting on more and more limited groups to the very depths of the social body" - Foucault, History of Sexuality
If I'm honest, I breathed a small sigh of relief upon hearing the news that French Anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss had passed away last month (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/03/claude-levi-strauss-dies)
Public Affairs: Council Decision Making Podcast
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Public Affairs: Council Decision Making Podcast
Public Affairs: Council Decision Making Podcast
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Public Affairs: Council Decision Making Podcast
Public Affairs: NCTJ Keyterms Podcast
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Public Affairs: NCTJ Keyterms Podcast
Public Affairs: NCTJ Keyterms Podcast
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Public Affairs: NCTJ Keyterms Podcast
Public Affairs: Role of Councillors Podcast
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Public Affairs: Role of Councillors Podcast
Public Affairs: Role of Councillors Podcast
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Public Affairs: Role of Councillors Podcast
Public Affairs: Role and Structure of Local Government Podcast
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Public Affairs: Role and Structure of Local Government Podcast
Public Affairs: Role and Structure of Local Government Podcast
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Public Affairs: Role and Structure of Local Government Podcast
Public Affairs: Local Planning Podcast
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Public Affairs: Local Planning Podcast
Public Affairs: Local Planning Podcast
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Public Affairs: Local Planning Podcast
Monday, 7 December 2009
Public Affairs: Social Services Podcast
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Public Affairs: Local Social Services Podcast
Public Affairs: Social Services Podcast
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Public Affairs: Local Social Services Podcast
Public Affairs: Emergency Services Podcast
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Public Affairs: Emergency Services Podcast
Public Affairs: Emergency Services Podcast
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Public Affairs: Emergency Services Podcast
Public Affairs: Local Government Finance
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Public Affairs: Local Government Finance Podcast
Public Affairs: Local Government Finance
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Public Affairs: Local Government Finance Podcast
Public Affairs: Housing Podcast
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Public Affairs: Housing Podcast
Public Affairs: Housing Podcast
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Public Affairs: Housing Podcast
Public Affairs: Education and Schools Podcast
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Public Affairs: Education and Schools Podcast
Public Affairs: Education and Schools Podcast
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Public Affairs: Education and Schools Podcast
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Housing
Housing
Background
Providing fit and proper public housing has been one of the cornerstones of local government since it first emerged in the 19th century in response to public health problems of the time. Eliminating overcrowding and poorly constructed housing, and replacing it to meet modern standards, was an important part of the fight against disease (as well as water supply and sewerage).
Public housing and the Prefab
Between the world wars there was a period of major public housing activity. A start was made on clearing the worst slums and new housing estates were provided in their place, largely in existing urban areas.
Immediately after the Second World War, bombed city sites provided clear areas for new public housing. Displaced families needed housing at a time when materials were in short supply – so the ‘prefab’ was developed, a prefabricated specially designed single-storey compact house, not using conventional materials, could be manufactured off-site and erected quickly. Their lifespan was intended to be limited, but they fared so well, they survived into the 1970s and can be seen in building museums today.
Population growth led to increasing demand. In the Sixties, central government, who then, as now controlled the capital building programme, decided it was best to demolish slums and start again. i.e. wholesale clearance.
Local housing authorities (LHAs) embarked on extensive slum clearance programmes using the power of the compulsory purchase order (CPO) to obtain enough land in a short period of time.
Tower Blocks
Slums were high density housing, so re-building them, the only way to accommodate similar numbers of people was by building upwards, giving rise to tower blocks which produced higher quality housing physically, but poorer socially. Designers had never lived in that environment and never would. Most council tenants didn’t like them and after the initial novelty, social problems from that kind of living environment emerged.
Tower blocks required new construction techniques and new system-building processes of that time were encouraged by central government. But years later, problems inherent in those processes emerged. Coupled with the social problems, the answer in some cases was to demolish and start over. Housing built in its place has been on a more domestic scale, fostering community and neighbourly spirit like most modern public housing. i.e. two to three-storey housing on a street pattern with individual gardens.
New towns
Established urban areas didn’t provide enough building space, so ‘new towns’ were developed in largely rural locations to supply housing and a social infrastructure (shops, schools, leisure facilities, employment opportunities). E.g. Welwyn Garden City, Harlow, Hemel Hempstead. Their existing local authorities were often rural district councils without experience or expertise, so in most cases a New Town Development Corporation (NTDC) was set up under the New Towns Commission’s supervision to produce and manage the town. All NTDCs have been disbanded now, and public housing management responsibilities fall to social landlords.
Housing Acts 1988/9
The Housing Act 1988 signalled a major shift in position of local authorities regarding housing provision.
LHAs role changed from being the mass providers of affordable rented housing, to operating mainly a strategic and enabling view, i.e. helping and advising other agencies to provide the right type of housing. The Conservative government wanted ‘a more pluralist and more market oriented system’, i.e. no large scale local authority provision. The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 said local housing authorities had no obligation to hold any housing stock.
Statistics
In recent years there has been a big increase in owner occupation and a small increase in the private rented sector and local housing association sector. Only the LHA sector has reduced:
Owner-occupied = 70%
Private landlord = 12%
Council housing = 9.5%
Other social landlord (housing association, housing coop, tenant management organisation/TMO) = 8.5%
Statistics fluctuate greatly between regions.
Conservative Era
The Conservatives drastically reduced the local authority public sector house building programme. Most new public sector house building was arranged by government through housing associations funded via the Housing Corporation (both quangos). In some areas, housing associations manage more houses than local housing authorities.
Their policy also aimed to increase home ownership by compelling LHAs to sell their public housing stock to sitting tenants at discounted prices.
The White Paper Our Future Homes and the Department of the Environment’s consultation document, More Choice in the Social Housing Sector, led to The Housing Act 1996, which created a new category of ‘social landlord’. They include new profit-making ‘housing companies’ with local authority and tenant involvement, but not control. The Housing Corporation supervises and registers social landlords.
Provision of local authority housing
The 1957 Housing Act: LHAs had to consider local housing conditions and need to provide further housing. LHAs had power to provide housing by buying land and building on it, buying houses, or converting or improving houses bought by them.
The 1985 Housing Act replaced 1957 Act as Principal Housing Act. LHAs can also provide land for private builders to develop, and give assistance to housing associations, housing co-ops and social landlords. When LHAs build houses and flats to rent, they can also provide or sell furniture to tenants and provide facilities for tenants to do their own laundering and catering. And with consent of Secretary of State, they can provide shops, recreation grounds and other amenities.
Local housing authority tenancies
LHAs have discretion in selecting tenants but must prioritise large families in unsatisfactory conditions, and anyone in unsanitary or overcrowded houses. Each must have an allocation scheme outlining their priority system, and most use a ‘points’ system.
The Housing Acts require an LHA to obtain a court order for possession to terminate a tenancy for any reason, on specific grounds e.g. failure to pay rent, allowing the property to deteriorate, being a nuisance neighbour.
The Housing Act 1996 extended grounds to include nuisance or annoyance to visitors in the locality, where a partner has had to leave a violent home, where the tenancy was obtained by deception/false statement. The Act also allows LHAs to apply to the High Court or county court for an injunction because of anti-social behaviour (holding a penalty for breach of arrest/imprisonment for contempt), although obtaining evidence from neighbours has been a recurring problem.
If the tenant dies, tenancy can pass to a relative who has lived there for 12 months-plus. Only one succession tenancy like this is allowed. If the property is considered too extensive for the new tenant, the council may seek a possession order six to12 months after the original tenant’s death and if reasonable alternative accommodation is made available.
Local housing authority tenant rights
Main developments include the following:
- The Council Tenant’s Charter sets out LHA tenants’ rights. Tenants must be consulted before making major decisions on housing management
- The 1988 Housing Act - gave tenants the right to choose an alternative ‘approved landlord’ (the ‘Tenants’ Choice’ provisions of the act), with the Housing Corporation and housing associations playing key roles. This was often encouraged by the LHA. By July 1996, 51 LHAs had transferred their housing stock to housing associations, an overall total of 220,000 properties. This provision has now been replaced by the registered social landlord provisions of the 1996 Housing Act
- The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 - extended this right to allow tenant management organisations (TMOs) to enter into arrangements with their local authority to take over the “housing management” function themselves: i.e. an alternative to housing association. Over 100 TMOs are now operational, and more are expected. This Act also strengthened tenants’ rights to have repairs carried out at the authority’s expense, and the right (when they’ve had to move home) to be compensated for improvements they’ve had to make themselves
Public Sector to Private Sector – “The Right to Buy”
The Housing Act 1980 (now superseded by the 1985 Act) gave council tenants “the right to buy” their home. A total of 2.1 million homes previously in the LHA, housing association and New Town sector were transferred to private ownership between 1980 and 1995, with the continuing annual rate said to be 60,000 since then.
Councils already willingly sold houses to tenants. The Conservatives controversially forced it on a greater scale and at discounted prices. They wanted to increase house ownership, but critics warned this would reduce the stock of public housing available to meet the needs of people who couldn’t afford private rented accommodation.
Labour LHAs objected. Right-to-buy now applies to tenants who have been in residence for at least two years. There are exceptions, i.e. tenants of sheltered housing for elderly or disabled people. If they had R-T-B, this specialist form of warden-managed housing would become rapidly fragmented and reduced.
The main features of right-to-buy arrangements were as follows:
- Tenants could get up to 60% off the market value, depending on the previous length of their tenancy. The Housing and Planning Act 1989 increased this to 70% for flats (because they are less attractive purchases) and put a maximum on the future service charges levied by the local authority. The Secretary of State determines a minimum selling price known as the ‘cost floor’ rule
- However, if the house was then sold within three years, part of the discount must be repaid (pro rata to the time elapsed since purchase)
- The Secretary of State could appoint a Commissioner if he felt the R-T-B requirement of LHAs is not being met. The LHA would pay for the costs incurred in doing this e.g. in Norwich
- R-T-B mortgages were available from the LHA, but this was replaced by a ‘rent to mortgage’ scheme under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993
- The price fixed for a house was comprised of two elements: the initial capital payment and the deferred financial commitment. The new owner paid the initial capital payment which would be no greater than the rent was, but cost of repairs would now be their responsibility. The deferred financial commitment accrued no interest and was payable on the sale of the house, the death of the purchaser, or by the purchaser making a payment at any time
- Other schemes introduced to encourage home ownership include shared ownership schemes (the tenant buys a share of the property from a housing association and pays rent for the other share); and the Cash Incentive Scheme (the tenant is given cash to help them buy in the private sector)
Homeless People
LHAs have a statutory duty to house the unintentionally homeless, and those threatened with homelessness within 28 days under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977. It was also in the Housing Act 1996, where the ambit of homelessness was narrowed to allow LHAs to take into account available accommodation in the UK and elsewhere, to help LHAs presented with high numbers of illegal immigrants.
Generally, asylum seekers who did not claim asylum seeker status at the port of their arrival are not eligible, although some are if they satisfy certain conditions (e.g. refugees and those with exceptional or unconditional leave to remain in the UK). The Act also introduced a limit of two years on the provision of accommodation in certain cases, and a review of all cases after that.
The Secretary of State issued a code of guidance with priorities for housing the homeless:
- People with dependent children
- People made homeless by an emergency and disaster (flood, fire etc)
- People vulnerable because of old age, mental or physical handicap or other special reason
- Pregnant women and their households
Local authorities often use short-life, bed and breakfast or hostel accommodation in the interim, when assessing priority cases for permanent housing.
A controversial aspect of the legislation is the fact that LHAs do not have to house the intentionally homeless – i.e. those who want to move from one area to another, or those who normally live outside the LHA’s boundaries. But if the intentionally homeless fit one of the above priority categories, the authority must give advice, assistance and at least temporary accommodation.
In practice, many have argued that the supposedly intentionally homeless are often very far from that, and that the criteria used to define this is far from fair: many people evicted from private sector accommodation for falling behind with their rent are categorised as intentionally homeless, as are young people who leave home “voluntarily” to escape abusive situations.
People can challenge the local authority by judicial review proceedings in the courts if unfairly identified as intentionally homeless. The last recession caused a hike in the number of homeless when properties were repossessed by building societies and banks. The problem was compounded by LHAs reduced stock of housing through sales and little new building. The cost of B&B temporary housing was a worry at a time of capped revenue budgets.
Another criticism was of the homeless ‘jumping the queue’ for permanent housing ahead of those patiently waiting for a council house. This was stopped with the Housing Act 1996 which set up a single route to allocate long-term social housing from January 1997 – the local authority housing register.
For the truly homeless (on the streets) the government introduce in 1990 the Rough Sleepers Initiative for central London, providing places in short-term hostels and leased places in ‘move-on’ accommodation. The London initiative was extended to include permanent homes, high-care accommodation and special accommodation for people with drink problems from March 1996, and was rolled out to Bristol from June 1996.
Maintenance of local housing authority stock
LHAs are responsible for maintaining their own rented stock but budget constraints have led to a huge backlog in council house repairs. Some tenants took legal action against their LHA landlord to enforce appropriate action.
A national ‘repair-it-yourself’ scheme for council tenants began in January 1986, where tenants could sort out repairs and reclaim the cost. However, the scheme is complicated and seldom used.
Recognising the budget problem, the government eventually introduced measures to redress deficiencies. The most run-down estates would be improved through the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) Challenge Fund, and an additional Estate Renewal Challenge Fund, usually by subsidising transfer from LHAs to other forms of social housing management, such as housing associations.
Housing Action Trust Areas were also set up by the Secretary of State, under the Housing Act 1988, which transferred housing stock from the LHA. If a majority of tenants after a secret ballot wished, they could opt out of LHA ownership and management. Then a quango called a Housing Action Trust (HAT) is established to:
Repair and improve property, manage effectively, ensure diversity of tenure, and improve social and environmental conditions. The local authority’s housing stock is transferred to the HAT, which can also take over some of the LHA’s other functions in the area. Initially, few were interested because of fear of rent hikes and a case of ‘better the devil you know’ i.e. the LHA as landlord.
Six HATs were set up by April 1994. The first was in North Hull and completed its task and was wound up in March 1999. The remaining HATs are Liverpool, Castle Vale (Birmingham) and the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets and Brent (Stonebridge HAT).
Local housing authority finance – Housing Revenue Account
The level of council house rents is a very political issue. Pre-Housing Finance Act 1972, rents were low, but this forced LHAs to unhappily increase them significantly. In 1972, Clay Cross Urban District Council refused, its councillors were surcharged and disqualified from membership, and the Secretary of State sent in Commissioners who were civil servants, to act on his behalf at the council’s expense.
The law says rents should be “reasonable”, and the courts have added that LHAs must balance tenants on the one hand with council tax payers on the other. The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 requires council rents to maintain the same relationship with private rent levels.
Every LHA must keep a Housing Revenue Account (HRA) which shows the annual cost of providing, maintaining and managing the local authority’s housing stock, and the sources of money to meet the costs involved. They must also keep a separate Housing Repairs Account.
The 1989 Act changed the HRA to redefine the items that can be charged to the account, and from 1990-91 the account became ‘ring-fenced’, i.e. the account must be balanced by rents and government subsidies and cannot be subsidised from the council tax.
Also, a new system of government subsidies (HRA subsidy) was introduced and replaced the old subsidies, including those for rent rebates. Central government fix a whole amount assuming certain rent levels and expenditure. This amount is divided up between LHAs, according to the value of their dwellings and local circumstances. This ended ‘open ended’ housing subsidies which were becoming embarrassingly large, and made a big move towards ‘self financing’ HRAs.
Where a LHA had rent arrears at 1 April 1990, they had to be written off against the community charge (poll tax) account, to allow the new HRA to have a clear start. Later, any arrears had to be met from the HRA which meant increased rents in practice.
To control total local government spend, the government also controls the cost of capital repairs, improvements and mortgages and loan expenditure (for buying land and building houses), by all LHAs. LHAs have to get approval each year for their proposed housing investment programme (HIP). The government allocation is not a grant, but an approved limit on the amount they can spend.
In December 1999, Housing Minister Nick Raynsford introduced ‘resource accounting’ as the basis for the HRA from 2001-02. This makes LHA finance more transparent and business-like. It involves adjusting the way in which the major repairs allowance and stock valuations are calculated and removes rent rebates from the HRA. The biggest problem with the transition is that some councils gain and others lose, perhaps requiring transitional arrangements to soften the blow.
Social security delivered locally – Housing Benefit
Offers help to council and private tenants who prove they can’t afford their rent. Housing benefit is a payment derived from the department responsible for social security at Whitehall, but administered by LHAs. Standard Housing Benefit is paid to those in work, while Certificated Housing Benefit goes to those in receipt of unemployment benefit or income support. As government transferred this from the DSS, it paid a subsidy to meet most of the costs involved (95% although New Labour proposed to reduce this).
From April 1989, LHAs were also responsible for the payment of board and lodgings charges for people living in hostel accommodation. Alongside the Housing Benefit scheme, LHAs have to operate Council Tax Benefit schemes which are administered along similar lines.
Housing Associations
Sometimes called “the third arm of housing”, the other two being LHAs (and New Towns) and the private sector, housing associations (HAs) are voluntary, not-for-profit bodies, and as such are not part of local government itself. The Major government saw them as the major providers of new, low cost, properties for rent.
The Housing Corporation was set up in 1964 (Scottish Homes and Housing for Wales are equivalents, N.Ireland has no equivalent). One of the Housing Corporation’s main roles is to keep a register of housing associations (under Housing Associations Act 1985). Registration is not compulsory, but provides entitlement to housing association loans and grants. There are about 2,200 registered and their activity has increased considerably.
The Corporation is controlled by a board whose members are appointed by the Secretary of State. It can discipline any registered housing association not acting satisfactorily, and allocates approved expenditure for programmes agreed between the housing associations and themselves.
Most housing associations are registered as industrial and provident societies. All have a committee of management elected by the membership of the association. This is voluntary work and members can only claim expenses. Some have no professional staff, while others are large, formed by amalgamation or take-over and have a substantial workforce.
They are non-profit making, work with LHAs and are useful in specialised areas e.g. providing sheltered housing for the elderly and those with special needs, and improving older housing in inner cities.
Housing association tenants have the protection of Tenants’ Guarantees issued by the Housing Corporation and Housing for Wales – the equivalent of the Council Tenant’s Charter. Since the Housing Act 1996 there is now a Housing Association Tenants’ Ombudsman to look at complaints of maladministration in the housing system. It provides independent scrutiny for tenants that LHA counterparts have via the Local Government Ombudsman.
LHAs can loan/give guarantees to registered housing associations. They normally have the right to nominate 50% of tenants to housing association schemes within their administrative areas. However, where there is partnership in the provision of new housing, a higher percentage is often agreed.
Social landlords
Introduced in concept by the Housing Act 1996. They extend the number of alternatives to local government in social housing provision. Social landlords are bodies which build and manage social rented housing, including a new type of local not-for-profit ‘housing company’, involving, but not controlled by, the LHA and tenants. These bodies are intended to take over social housing by large stock transfers.
The idea is to open up social housing to new kinds of suitable landlord, supervised and registered with the Housing Corporation, effectively going beyond the housing association approach.
Unfit housing
LHAs not only provide new housing - their powers and duties extend to maintenance and improvement of existing housing. Many councils have combined housing and environmental health departments, after action was taken against landlords under various Public Health Acts. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 outlines the LHAs’ duty to inspect existing buildings in their area to detect statutory nuisances. Statutory nuisances include premises prejudicial to health, as well as nuisances due to smoke, dust, fumes, rubbish and noise. The Act gives LHAs the power to secure the elimination of the statutory nuisance.
When it comes to LHAs improving houses ‘unfit for human habitation’, most of the work relates to the private sector. When assessing if a house is unfit they look at: state of repair, freedom from damp, natural lighting, ventilation, water supply and drainage and sanitation.
Through the Housing Act 1985, the LHA can deal with individual unfit houses through a repair notice (carry out specified repairs to bring the dwelling up to habitable standard), a closure notice (cease using the dwelling for that purpose) or a demolition notice (demolish the dwelling). Or they can go further, buying unfit houses or entering them to carry out the necessary work themselves and recovering the cost from the owner. Before demolition/closure orders they must give the owner the opportunity to undertake to carry out the work. They must also re-house the occupier, and may have to pay them compensation.
They can take action against an area, requiring or undertaking improvements or demolition. If demolished, it is called a clearance area. The authority can acquire, if necessary by CPO, the land and buildings and arrange for their demolition and redevelopment. Before a clearance order can be made, the LHA must be able to re-house all tenants, and finance the work. The Housing, Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 enables LHAs to pay discretionary relocation grants to displaced people to help them buy at least part share in a new home in the same area.
Renewal areas
The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 provided for LHAs to declare an area a ‘renewal area’. This replaced previous methods of taking action through Housing Action Areas and General Improvement Areas. The declared status of a renewal area usually lasts ten years, but can be terminated sooner.
The Secretary of State specifies conditions to declare a ‘renewal area’: minimum of 300 dwellings, at least 3/4s of them privately owned, and 30% of them in receipt of various social security benefits.
Once agreed, the LHA can acquire the land by agreement or CPO and provide new housing, improve existing housing and dispose of improved or unimproved property to a suitable third party for future management. The LHA can do the work, or provide grants, loans or guarantees to suitable 3rd parties, including housing associations.
Grants for the improvement of private sector housing
Now grants are more popular to improve substandard housing unless wholesale clearance is the only option, provided for by the Housing, Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. Grants are means-tested and most are discretionary (council can give them if it has the money available), although the Disabled Facilities Grant is mandatory (council must give them to anyone meeting the requirements). Pre-1996, mandatory grants were too high and widespread, providing for ‘standard amenities’.
There are three types of grant:
- Renovation Grant to improve/repair a dwelling, or provide dwelling by house conversion. Discretionary, available to owners or to tenants after 3 years. Available for specific purpose e.g. repairs to satisfy a statutory notice, provision of basic facilities, adequate space, heating and insulation and means of escape in case of fire.
- Disabled Facilities Grant to provide facilities for a disabled person in that person’s home or in the common parts of a building containing that home. Mandatory, available to all owners/tenants with expectation that the occupier will be resident for at least 5 years “or such shorter period as his health or other circumstances permit”. Grants are payable for specifics such as: access to and within the dwelling, facilities for sleeping, cooking and washing, and measures for the safety of the disabled person.
- HMO Grant to improve a house in multiple occupation (HMO), or provide that dwelling by house conversion. Dealt with as for renovation grants.
Group repair schemes
The HGCR Act 1996 introduced these, organised by the LHA, if they meet Secretary of State’s requirements. They provide for carrying out external repairs to buildings included in the scheme or to make them stable or both. Owners and tenants can apply to participate in the scheme. Works under the scheme can only be carried out if the participant agrees, because the participant has to contribute to the costs involved; up to 100% in some cases. Conditions cover repayment of any grant if the property is sold within five years, or if occupation changes.
Home repair assistance
The Act also provided for a special grant which can be paid where none of the other grants under that Act are payable – the Home Repair Assistance Grant:
- It is generally only available to owners and tenants of three years plus
- However, others who can claim it include the elderly, disabled or infirm
- It can also be claimed to pay for fire escape or protection works, or costs incurred because the dwelling is in a renewal area
- Applicant or partner must be on social security benefits
- Available for houseboats and mobile homes also
Houses in multiple occupation and overcrowding
The Housing Act 1985 gives LHAs the power to make a scheme requiring people with control of an HMO to apply for registration by the authority. Registration can be refused or granted subject to conditions, including restrictions on the number of people who can be accommodated in the HMO (by an Occupancy Direction on the person in control of it, or an Overcrowding Notice prohibiting admission of new residents.) The LHA can also require renovations to make the HMO fit for its number. It is a criminal offence not to comply.
Private rented sector
The size of this sector has declined dramatically over the past 30 years, although recently the trend has reversed with increasing buy-to-rent mortgages, encouraging this form of investment in property. About 10% of houses are now privately rented, compared to 50% 30 years ago and 8.6% in the late Eighties.
The decline is down to several factors: increase owner occupation, slum clearance programmes, more council housing and the impact of rent control. Legislation to protect tenants may have also discouraged some private landlords (some argue for relaxing of controls). One declared aim of the Housing Act 1988 was revitalisation of the private rented sector via reduction in rent controls and statutory protection of new private sector tenants from 1 April 1989. The Housing Act 1989 aimed to help small landlords by simplifying paperwork for Assured Shorthold Tenancies and speeding action on rent arrears.
Rent assessment
Rent officers are appointed by the DTLR to administer the Rent Acts and to explain them to the public. Previously the Rent Officer Service operated through 77 separate units based in local authorities – in two-tier areas county councils were generally responsible for the service under agency arrangements.
The Rent Service (TRS) took over in October 1999, an executive agency of the DTLR. Tenancies of most privately rented accommodation were Protected Tenants, with rents controlled and registered by Rent Officers and fixed for a period of two years under the Rent Act 1977. There were also provisions giving Protected Tenants security of tenure.
The Housing Act 1980 introduced two new forms of tenancy to supplement the Protected and Statutory forms – the Assured Tenancy and the Shorthold Tenancy. After this, no new protected tenancies could be created. Deregulation continued with Assured Shorthold Tenancy introduced by the Housing Act 1988.
The difference between Assured Tenancy and Assured Shorthold Tenancy was the security of tenure enjoyed by the tenant, but the latter was technically difficult, so the Housing Act 1996 automatically deemed all Assured Tenancies, Assured Shorthold Tenancies, unless certain exceptions applied. The requirement of initial fixed-terms of 6 months was also removed.
Assured Shorthold Tenancies introduced market rents, and also:
- Unlike lettings on Protected tenancies, the 1988 Act doesn’t preclude charging of premiums on Assured and Assured Shorthold Tenancies
- Rights of succession are weaker, and Assured Shorthold tenants have no rights of succession
- The landlord’s ability to regain possession is increased. After an initial notice, possession is automatic and can be obtained by an accelerated paper procedure in county court
Is there a future for council housing?
Conservative curbs on reinvestment by LHAs has taken its toll. The Financial Times on 22/2/2000 speculated that council housing may well disappear as we know it within 10 years because of £20bn backlog of maintenance and repairs, with little prospect of housing authorities being able to raise the necessary resources. It had led to 25 LHAs to apply to transfer 300,000 council houses during 2001, to non-profit making social landlords. The real problem for the government will be whether the private sector has the capacity or inclination to supply the necessary finance.
HOUSING ACTS – A SUMMARY
The 1957 Housing Act
- LHAs had to consider local housing conditions and need to provide further housing
Housing Finance Act 1972:
- Forced rents up
Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977
- LHAs have a statutory duty to house the unintentionally homeless, and those threatened with homelessness within 28 days.
Rent Act 1977
- Rents controlled and registered by Rent Officers and fixed for a period of two years.
The Housing Act 1980 (now by the 1985 Act)
- Gave council tenants the right to buy their home.
- Introduced the Assured Tenancy and the Shorthold Tenancy.
The 1985 Housing Act
- Replaced 1957 Act as Principal Housing Act. LHAs can provide land for private builders, and give assistance to housing associations, housing co-ops and social landlords.
- LHAs can deal with individual unfit houses.
- Introduced the scheme requiring people with control of an HMO to apply for registration by the authority.
The Housing Act 1988
- LHAs role changed from being the mass providers of affordable rented housing, to operating mainly a strategic and enabling view.
- Tenants had right to choose an alternative ‘approved landlord’ (the ‘Tenants’ Choice’ provisions of the Act).
- Housing Action Trust Areas were set up by the Secretary of State.
- One declared aim was revitalisation of the private rented sector via reduction in rent controls and statutory protection of new private sector tenants from 1 April 1989.
- Allowed charging of premiums on Assured and Assured Shorthold Tenancies
The Local Government and Housing Act 1989
- Local housing authorities had no obligation to hold any housing stock. Increased discount for right-to-buy tenants to 70% for flats.
- Required council rents to maintain the same relationship with private rent levels.
- Changed the HRA to redefine the items that can be charged to the account.
- Provided for LHAs to declare an area a ‘renewal area’
- Aimed to help small landlords by simplifying paperwork for Assured Shorthold Tenancies and speeding action on rent arrears.
The Environmental Protection Act 1990
- Outlined the LHAs’ duty to inspect existing buildings in their area to detect statutory nuisances.
The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993
- Extended right to allow tenant management organisations (TMOs) to enter into arrangements with their local authority to take over the housing management function themselves
- R-T-B mortgages replaced by a ‘rent to mortgage’ scheme.
The Housing Act 1996
- Created a new category of ‘social landlord.’ Extended grounds of terminating tenancy to include nuisance or annoyance to visitors in the locality.
- Ambit of homelessness narrowed to allow LHAs to take into account available accommodation in the UK and elsewhere.
- Single route set up to allocate long-term social housing from January 1997 – the local authority housing register.
- Brought in the Housing Association Tenants’ Ombudsman.
- Automatically deemed all Assured Tenancies, Assured Shorthold Tenancies
The Housing, Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996
- Enabled LHAs to pay discretionary relocation grants
- Provided grants to improve substandard housing preventing wholesale clearance
- Introduced Group repair schemes
© James Morrison 2007
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