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.
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Archive
Social landlord evictions down 61% compared to pre-pandemic
Grainne Cuppe Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... Social landlords are evicting tenants at less than a third of the rate they were before the pandemic, new government figures have revealed. Before the pandemic, social landlords represented 60% of all eviction proceedings, while now they represent 33%. In contrast, private landlords made up the largest proportion of possession claims at 41% (5,912) in the last quarter of 2021... A ban on bailiff-enforced evictions was introduced in December 2021 in response to the rise in coronavirus cases. The ban meant that landlords were still able to carry out evictions via the courts, however bailiffs were not allowed to enter households to enact the evictions. The ban, which followed a complete moratorium on evictions between March and September 2020, came to an end in June last year. It emerged last month that nearly 400 households were made homeless every day in the three full months after the eviction ban was lifted. Homelessness charity Shelter said the eviction ban “helped keep many renters safe in their homes during the pandemic”. Now this protection has gone, evictions are picking up and renters, who faced job losses and furlough, are struggling even more,” it said. It warned of a further wave of evictions due to the cost of living crisis.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/social-landlord-evicti…
# International, Eviction, Public and community housing, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Homelessness.Ontario’s ‘affordable housing’ task force report does not address the real problems
Brian Doucet The Conversation (No paywall)From Cananda ... The province of Ontario’s task force has released 55 recommendations to address the growing housing crisis. But if an affordable housing report explicitly states that building affordable housing is outside its mandate and never once mentions the term “rent control,” is it really an affordable housing report? While there are some important ideas within this report, particularly to aid middle-class households that have recently become victims of a housing crisis, it is unlikely to make housing more affordable for those on low and moderate incomes who have struggled to find adequate shelter for decades.
https://theconversation.com/ontarios-affordable-housing-task-for…
# International, Rent, Affordable housing, Home ownership, Housing market, Planning and development.Sydney apartment investors fear debt trap as levies skyrocket
Anna Patty Domain (No paywall)Investors from retirees to single mothers on low incomes fear losing their properties after their strata levies jumped from under $2000 per quarter to more than $10,000 for building repairs they had no say in approving. Hundreds of owners who paid about $200,000 for each apartment in the UniLodge student accommodation building on Broadway have been ordered to pay the levy by strata managing agent Bright and Duggan, which a tribunal appointed to take full control over the owners’ corporation. The building had become run down and repair and maintenance works were necessary for its structural integrity, Bright and Duggan said. ... Many of the apartments in the heritage building have been vacant or rented at reduced fees since the coronavirus pandemic prevented international students from returning to Sydney. UniLodge subsidiary Sydney Campus manages the historic building and student rentals, from which it takes a commission.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/sydney-apartment-investors-…
# NSW, Repairs, Strata, Students.What Australia’s median house price buys you overseas
Melissa Heagney Domain (No paywall)Australia’s property market has boomed over the past year. The national median house price hit $1,066,133 in December, on Domain data, the first time it has risen beyond $1 million. With such sky-high capital gains, some homeowners will be wondering whether to cash in and buy something else, possibly in another country. So, just what can our median house price bag you overseas?
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/what-australia-s-median-hou…
# Australia, Housing market, International.What you need to know before applying for your first home loan
Meg Watson ABC (No paywall)My partner and I just got pre-approved for our first home loan, and I feel like I could spew any second. ... I don't come from a wealthy family, and both my parents rent. No one ever taught me how this process works and, to a total newbie, it's really confusing. Here's everything I've learned so far. [Read on] (ABC Everyday)
https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/what-you-need-to-know-before-app…
# Australia, Home ownership.New act to implement ‘peppercorn’ ground rents achieves Royal Assent
Grainne Cuffe Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... The Leasehold Reform Bill, which aims to drastically reduce ground rent costs for leaseholders, has become law after getting royal assent on Tuesday. The new act, which applies to England and Wales, restricts ground rent owed on new leases to a token peppercorn rent and aims to make leasehold ownership “fairer and more affordable”. Breaching the new law will be a civil offence, with fines of between £500 and £30,000 for offenders. Local authorities, who are expected to enforce the legislation, will be able to keep the financial penalties to fund their enforcement activities.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/new-act-to-implement-p…
# International, Rent, Home ownership, Housing market.How to get a ‘1’ in front of your mortgage interest rate
Jessica Irvine The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)It’s got to be the question I’m asked most often: Jess, should I fix in the interest rate on my home loan? Happy mortgage shopping!
https://www.smh.com.au/money/borrowing/how-to-get-a-1-in-front-o…
# Australia, Home ownership, Housing market.Housing boom hits Katherine in Northern Territory as new jobs bring transient workers
Roxanne Fitzgerald ABC (No paywall)While buying a house remains out of reach for many Australians, it's the much cheaper option in this small Northern Territory town — even if you have no plans to stay long-term. The discrepancy in rent prices and the cost of buying is even causing a bit of a housing boom in this town.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-12/katherine-house-market-bo…
# Australia, Rent, Home ownership, Housing market.