Recent research from the Building Research Establishment or BRE has tried to accurately assess what the costs of failing to act on poor quality housing in England might be. The report says that, potentially, investing £9bn in improving housing could save £135.5bn over the next 30 years – as well as having many other benefits. In this article we will look at what this research has found and at what we can learn from it.

Landlords who operate HMOs may find they need to make use of Temporary Exemption Notices or TENs. The Housing Act 2004 Part 2 requires that all properties which meet the definition of a licensable HMO in England and Wales are licensed. However, Section 62 of this legislation allows for landlords to apply for and for local authorities to grant exemptions from HMO licensing for short periods.

The government has recently published an update to its guidance on how local authorities should introduce selective licensing schemes. In this report, we will look at what has changed in the new version.

The criteria that apply for selective licensing to be introduced are: Low housing demand, a significant and persistent problem caused by anti-social behaviour, poor property conditions, high level of deprivation or high levels of crime. A recent study published in BMJ Open has looked at how selective licensing schemes in the PRS may impact social outcomes and mental health amongst tenants - here we take at look at some of those outcomes.

The new series has been designed to provide modelled estimates of two aspects of England’s housing stock: first, number and proportion of occupied homes that are deemed non-decent according to the Decent Homes Standard, and second, the number and proportion of occupied homes that are deemed unsafe due to having an HHSRS Category 1 hazard in each local authority area, by tenure and dwelling type.

Banning orders are one of a number of measures which can be used against landlords. A recent legal case has provided some more clarification on how banning orders should operate, and we will look at what it involved here.

The Regulator of Social Housing has recently published a regulatory notice which finds that Birmingham City Council has breached its consumer standards for social housing both in relation to health and safety and in complaints handling.

The Renters Reform Bill: What’s In It And What Does It Mean For Landlords? The government says that ‘The Renters (Reform) Bill will support the government’s manifesto commitment to deliver ‘a better deal for renters’, including by abolishing section 21 evictions and reforming landlord possession grounds. The objective of the Bill is to ensure private renters have access to a secure and decent home and that landlords retain the confidence to repossess their properties where they have good reason to.’ The government are describing the Bill as the most significant overhaul of landlord and tenant law in a generation.

The government has just published new regulations which will affect HMO accommodation occupied by asylum seekers in England. In this article we will look at what these regulations mean.

Consultation Into a New Use Class and Permitted Development Rights for Short Term Lets: What you need to know

The laws that regulate HMOs are complex – and becoming more complex all the time. Here’s a straightforward guide to help landlords understand the HMO rules and regulations more easily.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) was introduced under the Housing Act 2004 Part 1 and no real changes or reviews have taken place since its formation. As part of this extensive review, other interested parties had also been able to have their say including HHSRS Assessors, Environmental Health Officers, Private Sector Housing Enforcement Officers, Other Housing Professionals, Letting Agents, Landlords, and Tenants. The review has now been concluded.