Housing News Digest
Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
Our main email newsletter, Tenant News is sent once every two months. You can subscribe or update your subscription preferences for any of our email newsletters here.
See notes about the Digest and a list of other contributors here. Many thanks to those contributors for sharing links with us.
We love sharing the news and hope you find it informative! We're very happy to deliver it for free, but if you find it valuable, can you help cover the extra costs incurred by making a donation?
Archive
Majority of landlords report fall in rent arrears during pandemic, research finds
Stephen Delahunty Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Two-thirds of housing associations ended the pandemic with lower rent arrears than they had at the beginning despite the economic hardship facing tenants and the eviction ban, new research has found. A report based on 20 landlords, commissioned by PlaceShapers, WHG and the National Housing Federation (NHF), found the majority had reduced the rent debt owed to them over the course of the pandemic. Titled What happens when the rule book is taken away, the report argued that the cultural and legal changes brought on by lockdown restrictions meant associations had to transform how they worked with their tenants. The research set out to investigate how the 20 landlords, including Optivo, Sovereign and Stockport Homes, responded to the prospect of skyrocketing arrears as more tenants were forced into economic hardship. It also looked into how the pandemic-related eviction ban changed systems and processes overnight.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/majority-of-landlords-…
# Research alert International, Eviction, Public and community housing, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19.The four economic wildcards waiting for us between now and the federal election
Peter Martin The Conversation (No paywall)The second wildcard: rising interest rates ... That's when the second election wildcard gets played: next Tuesday May 3, at 2.30pm AEST, after the Reserve Bank board's May meeting. If inflation is especially high, there's a chance the bank will announce it is pushing up rates, lifting its cash rate from its present all-time low of 0.10 per cent to 0.25 per cent or to 0.50 per cent, and holding an afternoon press conference to explain why. If fully passed on, an increase to 0.50 per cent would add an extra $100 to the monthly cost of paying off a $500,000 mortgage.
https://theconversation.com/there-are-4-economic-wildcards-betwe…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.No-fault evictions: 200,000 renters in England served notices in three years
Robert Booth and Jem Bartholomew The Guardian (No paywall)More than 200,000 private renters in England have been served eviction notices without doing anything wrong in the three years since the government first promised to ban the practice, housing campaigners have claimed. Every seven minutes, a tenant has been landed with a no-fault eviction notice since Theresa May’s Conservative government first committed to scrap them in April 2019, according to research by Shelter, the housing charity. Tenants have told of the shock, stress and thousands of pounds of unexpected bills caused by the practice, which means private renters can be evicted with two months’ notice and without the landlord giving a reason. Grainne Cuffe also writes on this issue for 'Inside Housing' at: [https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/private-renter-served-no-fault-eviction-notice-every-seven-minutes-new-research-finds-75194].
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/apr/26/200000-private-ren…
# Must read International, Eviction, Rent, No-grounds evictions.Federal Labor to continue funding housing across remote Northern Territory if elected
Jesse Thompson ABC (No paywall)Federal Labor has promised to extend a housing funding agreement intended to reduce widespread overcrowding in remote Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory if elected next month. ... In a media release, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said the investment in remote housing would improve the livelihoods of Indigenous Territorians. "Spending on health, education and employment will offer a much bigger return if we also improve access to safe and adequate housing in remote Australia," she said. Also, check out Cameron Gooley's article in 'Th Sydney Morning Herald' at: [https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-commits-100m-to-better-housing-in-remote-nt-communities-20220426-p5aga3.html].
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-27/federal-labor-remote-hous…
# Australia, Aboriginal renters, Housing market, Race and ethnicity.In 2019 inequality was a big federal election issue. Now it’s off the radar
Josh Nicholas, Katharine Murphy and Maya Pilbrow The Guardian (No paywall)In the 2019 election, inequality was a major campaign theme. ... In the run up to polling day, the then Labor leader Bill Shorten declared inequality killed hope. ... But after voters rejected that agenda in 2019, Anthony Albanese overhauled both the policy and the rhetoric. [Read on] You will find in this article a useful table on 'Housing Stress' by 'Electorate'.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/2022/apr/28/…
# Australia, Rent, Families, Home ownership.New effort to combat Toledo eviction crisis
WTVG Staff (No paywall)From the United States ... The Lucas County Commissioners and local leaders announced plans to fortify protections against eviction on Thursday. During a press conference held at the One Government Center, representatives of various organizations including the Homelessness Board, Pathway, Inc., The Fair Housing Center United Way of Greater Toledo, and Legal Aid of Western Ohio rallied together forming the Eviction Prevention League. ... Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said the city will hire a Landlord Tenant Services Manager. The new position will assist with addressing housing security issues prior to landing eviction status. “Fewer and fewer persons in eviction court is a goal. Greater housing security for our community is a goal,” Lucas County’s Commissioner Gary Byers said.
Commissioner Pete Gerken echoed his fellow board members sentiments, saying eviction prevention is a high priority.
https://www.13abc.com/2022/04/21/new-effort-combat-toledo-evicti…
# Video International, Eviction, Campaigns and law reform, Homelessness.Mortgage holders in outer suburbs could face ‘huge cliff’ as inflation and rates rise, experts say
Peter Hannam The Guardian (Paywall)Outer suburban electorates of major cities, already home to many of Australia’s most financially stressed households, are facing a “huge cliff” in coming years as their fixed-rate loans expire and they are hit with higher interest rates, analysts say.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/28/homeowner…
# Australia, Families, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market.Why the Road Is Getting Even Rockier for First-Time Home Buyers
Sophie Kasakove The New York Times (Paywall)From the United States ... About 2.5 million households shopping for a first home will be shut out of the market this year, estimates Nadia Evangelou, senior economist with the National Association of Realtors. That amounts to 15 percent of all first-time home buyers. In an already daunting market, investor purchasing is adding to the obstacles.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/23/us/corporate-real-estate-inve…
# International, Home ownership, Housing affordability, Housing market, Landlords and agents.