Will Atkinson hails progress so far but the campaign continues for further changes. In February, we launched a joint campaign with our sister housing federations in the rest of the UK to reform the broken Universal Credit (UC) system to… Read more »
Latest news
New fire safety system for high-rises
Welsh Government will reform the system regulating fire safety in high-rise buildings. Housing and local government minister Julie James will tell the Assembly later today (Tuesday) that she will consider new legislation to replace the current Fire Safety Order and… Read more »
Tenant fees ban signed and sealed
Welsh legislation banning fees to tenants will come into force on September 1 after receiving Royal Assent. At an official sealing ceremony today (Wednesday 15 May), the Renting Homes (Fees etc) (Wales) Bill became an Act of the Assembly. First… Read more »
Affordable housing review – reaction so far
The Independent Review of Affordable Housing Supply has received a warm welcome from across the Welsh housing sector. The review was launched in Cardiff on Wednesday morning by review chair Lynn Pamment and other members of the panel. As reported… Read more »
Call for shake-up of affordable housing
Wales can produce more affordable housing with the same level of resources if it tackles ‘considerable weaknesses’ in the current system, says the report of the Independent Review of Affordable Housing Supply published this morning (May 1). The panel chaired… Read more »
Affordable housing review – rent policy
The minister tasked the panel with ‘making recommendations on how a sustainable rent policy can help determine long term affordability for tenants and the viability of existing and new housing developments’. Key recommendations Welsh Government should implement a five year… Read more »
Affordable housing review: quality standards
The panel was asked to provide ‘advice on whether there should be changes to the standards governing the design and quality of affordable housing’ and to ‘evaluate the impact of moving to deliver zero carbon homes by 2020’. Key recommendations… Read more »
Affordable housing review – financing
The focus of the review was to ‘recommend changes to increase supply and improve delivery from the scarce resources available’. The gap between housing needs and supply means that it is ‘incumbent on all partners to draw on every available… Read more »
Affordable housing review – Local authorities
Following the abolition of the Right to Buy and the removal of the borrowing cap, the panel looked at what was needed to ‘support ambitious local authorities to build at place scale’ and how to maximise the use of borrowing… Read more »
Affordable housing review – Dowry and MRA
The panel was asked to ‘advise on how the development capacity in LSVT housing associations and stock-holding local authorities can be maximised especially after 2020 when all existing stock meets the WHQS’. Key recommendations Welsh Government should commission an independent… Read more »