Millions of UK landlords will be adversely affected by proposed reforms designed to protect tenants against eviction from rental properties, a leading solicitor warns. The Renters Reform Bill will abolish the Section 21 notice which allows a landlord to evict tenants at the end of a fixed term without good
The Crown Estate is launching two pilot housing projects to test different approaches to building net zero homes. The projects have been identified to explore the opportunities and challenges of delivering industry-leading net zero housing developments. Both will draw on best practice in sustainable design and construction and encourage innovation
Research from property developer, Stripe Property Group, has shown that the Government needs to deliver an average of 67,500 new homes a quarter by the end of next year if they have any hope of delivering the one million new homes promised by the end of Parliament. Last week, the
This Monday saw Glenigan, one of the construction industry’s leading insight experts, release the August 2023 edition of its Construction Index. The Index focuses on the three months to the end of July 2023, covering all underlying projects with a total value of £100m or less (unless otherwise indicated, with
WISE LIVING has backed predictions that Single Family Housing Build-to-Rent (SFH BTR) real estate investment will continue to grow. Based on Wise Living’s own involvement with 50% of the UK’s existing SFH BTR stock, the experts agree with the JLL 2023 Investor Survey’s strong SFH BTR growth forecasts. However, Paul Staley, managing director of
London Councils has responded to the government’s announcement on building new homes and the Secretary of State’s speech on reforming the planning system and regenerating urban areas. Cllr Darren Rodwell, London Councils’ Executive Member for Regeneration, Housing & Planning, said: “Boroughs are ready and willing to help deliver the homes
Commenting on the Government’s announcement of an expansion of permitted development rights, Cllr Shaun Davies, Chair of the Local Government Association said; “There is no doubt that we need more homes as well as to reinvigorate our high streets and town centres. However, premises such as offices, barns, and shops
The latest research from digital property pack provider, Moverly, has revealed that cooling market conditions and the higher cost of borrowing have resulted in one property market silver lining, as the number of homes returning to the market following a scuppered sale have reduced by 60% when compared to the
MEMBERS of the newly formed National Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) from all over the UK have gathered in person for the first time for the organisation’s inaugural meeting, with more than 50 people in attendance. The group’s members bring together Tier 1 contractors, specialist organisations and energy providers, sharing a collective mission to drive the delivery
• 3 in 5 social housing residencies suffered a security breach in the last year, with a third of landlords victim to at least 20 breaches. • A quarter of properties were reported to have faulty entrance doors. • Only 63% of landlords felt the level of security their properties
Millions of UK landlords will be adversely affected by proposed reforms designed to protect tenants against eviction from rental properties, a leading solicitor warns. The Renters Reform Bill will abolish the Section 21 notice which allows a landlord to evict tenants at the end of a fixed term without good reason. The changes to the law – designed to protect the UK’s 11 million tenants and provide them with safer, fairer and higher quality homes – will bring in greater restrictions on landlords whose reasons for wanting to evict their tenants do not meet a certain criteria. The Bill is currently going through Parliament and is expected to become law next year. Kristy Ainge is Solicitor-Advocate in the Litigation Team at Coventry and Warwickshire based Brindley Twist Tafft & James (BTTJ). She said the new laws were designed to crack down on no-fault evictions. “The main change is that a landlord cannot ask a tenant to leave if, for example, they want to move a friend into their property, or if for any reason they just don’t like them,” Kristy said. “The only way they can evict their tenants who are “not at fault”, is if they want to live there themselves, or move an immediate family member in, or if they want to sell the property. Even then, it will not be a quick process, because, if a landlord wishes to move into the property themselves, they cannot serve notice within the first 6 months of the tenancy. The changes will also allow tenancies to roll month by month meaning landlords who previously were entitled to six or 12 months’ tenancies will now be periodic and determined by the frequency that rent is paid. This gives tenants much more flexibility and removes the security for landlords knowing they have a tenant in situ for 6/12 months. The reforms will give more rights to tenants who want to keep pets too. Under current legislation a blanket ban on all pets is allowed. Most landlords take advantage of the ban for fear of potential damage caused by the animals to the property. Under new proposals, still to be discussed, a tenant has the right to request to keep a pet and the landlord will have no right to refuse the request without good reason. However, they may ask their tenant to cover pet insurance and home insurance to cover any damage. Tenants who fall behind with the rent or who are causing anti-social behaviour are not protected by the laws and may still be evicted by their landlord in the usual way under the section 8 notice regime. Kristy said: “The new reforms will give tenants more protection but restricts what landlords can do with their own properties. “There are expected to be some exceptions such as private student lets, though this is yet to be confirmed.” For further advice contact BTTJ at https://www.bttj.com/contact-us/
The Crown Estate is launching two pilot housing projects to test different approaches to building net zero homes. The projects have been identified to explore the opportunities and challenges of delivering industry-leading net zero housing developments. Both will draw on best practice in sustainable design and construction and encourage innovation to minimise operational and embodied carbon. The two projects are: The aim is to explore how new homes can be delivered using less than 300kg/m2 of embodied carbon alongside meeting ambitious energy efficiency targets. The Crown Estate is seeking partners for the pilot projects and will look to test different models for project delivery, including through incentives for achieving environmental and financial outcomes. Partners will be expected to follow market leading guidance and embrace circular economy and regenerative principles in their proposals. At Knutsford, there is an additional challenge of delivering low carbon road infrastructure. The Crown Estate will look to apply lessons learned from these demonstration projects to their larger scale projects – and information will be made publicly available to inform best practice within the wider industry. Rob Chesworth, Head of Regional Residential at The Crown Estate, said: “Tackling housing supply and climate change are critical issues facing the UK. At The Crown Estate, we want to see how best we can be part of the solution by looking at the way we address these challenges through our Regional portfolio. By being bold and pushing existing industry standards through these pilot projects and sharing our learning, we hope to demonstrate that high quality, net zero carbon homes are deliverable at scale and can form the cornerstone of vibrant, sustainable communities. “We want to work with aligned SMEs and entrepreneurs who are putting innovation and sustainability at the forefront of housebuilding and community-focused development to raise industry standards and galvanise momentum to meet the sector’s decarbonisation challenge.” The projects represent an evolution in The Crown Estate’s regional strategy, as it seeks to leverage its national land and property portfolio to support regional economic growth, contribute towards housing supply and enhance its returns to the Treasury. Over the next decade, it will look to invest significantly in regeneration, delivering new, mixed-tenure residential communities and world-class locations for businesses to prosper. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Research from property developer, Stripe Property Group, has shown that the Government needs to deliver an average of 67,500 new homes a quarter by the end of next year if they have any hope of delivering the one million new homes promised by the end of Parliament. Last week, the Government revealed it was setting its sights on brownfield building in order to address the UK housing crisis and deliver the one million new homes promised over this Parliament. However, the analysis of new dwellings data by Stripe Property Group has revealed that in order to do so, they would need to deliver almost 68,000 new homes a quarter, a task they haven’t managed once during their time in power. Stripe Property Group analysed new dwellings delivery since the current Government took charge in December 2019 (after the 2019 general election) which shows that, in approximately three years and six months, just 594,805 new homes have been delivered across England. The best quarterly performance was seen during the final quarter of 2020 when just 51,370 new homes were delivered. With just a year and a half left for the Government to reach its target (by the next election which is scheduled to be held no later than Jan 2025), a further 405,195 new homes are required to hit the one million threshold by the end of Dec 2024. This means that, including Q3 of this year, the Government would need to deliver 67,532 new homes over the next six quarters to fulfil their promise – a task that looks extremely unlikely given their historic performance. Managing Director of Stripe Property Group, James Forrester, commented: “The Government is notoriously poor at keeping its promises when it comes to housing delivery and time and time again we’ve seen targets set, only for them to fall by the wayside further down the line. At the same time, local councils are making it harder and harder for housebuilders to comply with the masses of red tape, all of which increases the prices for the end user. Given the fact that less than 600,000 new homes have been delivered in the last three and a half years or so, we can’t imagine that the target of one million new homes by the end of next year will come to fruition either. So we can expect to hear more excuses from Rishi Sunak and co come the end of Parliament, as well as more smoke and mirrors around the delivery of new housing, no doubt fudging the figures with new additional dwellings data to make it appear as though they’ve delivered on their word.” Data tables Data tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
This Monday saw Glenigan, one of the construction industry’s leading insight experts, release the August 2023 edition of its Construction Index. The Index focuses on the three months to the end of July 2023, covering all underlying projects with a total value of £100m or less (unless otherwise indicated, with all figures seasonally adjusted). It’s a report which provides a detailed and comprehensive analysis of year-on-year construction data, giving built environment professionals a unique insight into sector performance over the last 12 months. Already well into Q.3, construction start performance continues to fall, tracking a consistent, downward trajectory which has persisted for over a year. Work commencing on-site dropped a modest 1% against the preceding three months to July, finishing 33% lower than 2022 figures. Although a less severe fall than the past few months, these scores are still poor, with higher inflation, fluctuating interest rates and labour shortages to blame. Looking forward, performance in the remainder of H.2 2023 will potentially be hindered by the recently enforced Parts F and L as well as the introduction of even tighter fire safety regulations. However, similar to the picture painted in the July Index, residential construction proved a rare bright spot in an otherwise gloomy industry landscape, with starts experiencing an upturn over the preceding three months. This was largely due to a spike in the private residential sub-vertical. Commenting on the findings, Glenigan’s Economic Director, Allan Wilen, says, “The disappointment continues as the market remains depressed, and given the unusual economic circumstances, this is hardly surprising. Uncertainty has stalled activity and many investors, public and private, are reluctant to commit to new projects. Furthermore, 12 to 18 months out from a General Election, it’s likely the incumbent Government will adopt a more cautious approach, particularly to big infrastructure, in the lead-up. This will further slow activity in the short term. “On the other hand, it was encouraging to see that private residential construction continues to rally, suggesting developers are altering their plans after a drop in starts during H.1 2023. The Home Office’s easing of visa restrictions for construction trades may also improve staff recruitment and help lift activity further in the second half of the year.” Taking a closer look at the sector verticals and UK regions… Sector Analysis – Residential Residential construction experienced an uptick, rising by a fifth (+21%) during the three months to the end of July, but remained 26% lower than a year ago. Private housing, in particular, enjoyed a growth spurt, with starts increasing 40% during the Index period. However, this improvement was still not enough to balance-out a 26% drop on 2022 levels. Social housing performance was weak, 25% down on the preceding three months and falling back 21% on 2022 levels. Sector Analysis – Non-Residential Performance across almost all non-residential verticals was weak. Falling 23% during the previous three months and down 38% on a year ago. The health sector showed some signs of life, growing 23% against the preceding three months but remaining 25% lower than 2022. Retail project-starts remained flat against the preceding three months to stand 40% down on the year before. Offices and Industrial project-starts experienced a particularly poor period, both tumbling 50% and 51% compared 2022 levels, respectively and also falling 35% and 24% against the previous three months. Hotel & Leisure experienced a weak period, with work starting on-site declining 22% against the preceding three months to stand 41% down on the previous year. Education and Community & Amenity also crashed, dropping 34% and 36% against the preceding three months, to stand 7% and 40% down on the previous year, respectively. The decline in civils work continues, with starts on-site dropping 25% against the preceding three months to stand 46% down on a year ago. Infrastructure starts dropped 8% during the Index period, down 45% on the previous year’s figures. Utilities starts also declined 43% during the three months to the end of July, finishing 49% down on a year ago. Regional Analysis Regional performance was poor, with project-starts weakening UK-wide during the three months to July. The South West and East Midlands recorded a modest increase, rising 9% and 3% on the preceding three months, respectively, but slipping back 32% and 37% on 2022 levels. Likewise, starts in the East of England rose 4% in the Index period, yet fell 31% compared to last year. Wales experienced the heaviest fall, finishing 43% down on a year ago, and 30% against the previous three months. The North East also posted dismal results, decreasing 26% compared to the previous three months, declining 44% on 2022. Project-starts in the South East also experienced falls against both the preceding three months (-7%) and previous year (-32%). Yorkshire & the Humber and London weakened against the preceding three months, falling back 4% and 15%, respectively. Both regions were down on the previous year, remaining 35% and 30% lower than a year ago. This was also the case in the West Midlands, the North West, and Scotland, which all crashed compared to both the preceding three months and the previous year. To find out more about Glenigan and its construction intelligence services click here. 2023 sees Glenigan celebrate its 50th anniversary, commemorating half a century of delivering the highest-quality construction market intelligence. To find out more about its services and expertise click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
WISE LIVING has backed predictions that Single Family Housing Build-to-Rent (SFH BTR) real estate investment will continue to grow. Based on Wise Living’s own involvement with 50% of the UK’s existing SFH BTR stock, the experts agree with the JLL 2023 Investor Survey’s strong SFH BTR growth forecasts. However, Paul Staley, managing director of Wise Living, queries the relatively low confidence expressed by real estate investors – with JLL reporting just 20% of those asked expecting SFH to provide the greatest opportunities over the next five years. Paul, said: “It is surprising that only 20% of real estate investors surveyed by JLL expect SFH to provide the greatest opportunities over the next five years. For me, the changes in the BTR space have been undeniable over the past decade, and increasingly we are seeing SFH being spoken about in its own right, and for good reason. “This talk has translated into real results, with the number of deals agreed in the UK’s Single Family housing market in Q1 2023 valued at £450m, surpassing the full-year 2022 investment total of £330m, according to the Knight Frank Single Family Housing Report. “The question now is can this be sustained and will it continue? My answers is yes. Our existing work and current development pipeline points to a flourishing SFH sector. Suburban family rental homes are replacing home ownership and with many private landlords exiting the industry due to economic pressures, institutional investment opportunity is only growing.” Wise Living has seen a 93% increase on new SFH BTR tenancies starting in 2022 compared with 2021, with 2023 set to surpass this figure. The business has also reported strong occupancy rates of over 98% and low arrears of 0.6%, which points to the success of the model as a reliable investment option going forward. Paul, continued: “The opportunity now lies in the hands of institutional investors. To truly unlock this sector’s potential, a forward-looking and long-term perspective is needed. As the industry continues to flourish, we are working with investors to align their investment strategies with this momentum.” For more information about Wise Living, visit: www.wiselivinghomes.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
London Councils has responded to the government’s announcement on building new homes and the Secretary of State’s speech on reforming the planning system and regenerating urban areas. Cllr Darren Rodwell, London Councils’ Executive Member for Regeneration, Housing & Planning, said: “Boroughs are ready and willing to help deliver the homes our communities need, but this requires more local powers and resources for housebuilding. “Despite massive challenges, boroughs are working hard to accelerate housebuilding and have made solid progress in recent years. London saw more council-built homes started in 2022 than any year since the 1970s. “There are at least 143,000 potential new homes we could begin building immediately in London if the funding was in place, and we would welcome the prospect of enhanced government support for housing development and regeneration. We are calling for reform of Right to Buy receipts, increased grant allocations, and investment in new infrastructure so that we can truly turbocharge affordable housebuilding. “The chronic shortage of affordable housing is the critical factor behind London’s skyrocketing homelessness figures. The situation is utterly unsustainable. There are 166,000 homeless Londoners living in temporary accommodation, including on average at least one homeless child in every London classroom. “The focus must be on boosting delivery of affordable, high-quality homes. The government’s pledge to expand permitted development rights does not guarantee this will happen – in fact it brings serious risks. Boroughs must retain the ability to ensure housing is built to the right standards, in suitable locations, and with the necessary local infrastructure such as GP surgeries and transport connections.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Commenting on the Government’s announcement of an expansion of permitted development rights, Cllr Shaun Davies, Chair of the Local Government Association said; “There is no doubt that we need more homes as well as to reinvigorate our high streets and town centres. However, premises such as offices, barns, and shops are not always suitable for housing. “Further expanding permitted development rights risks creating poor quality residential environments that negatively impact people’s health and wellbeing, as well as a lack of affordable housing or suitable infrastructure. “It is disappointing that the Government have ignored their own commissioned research that concluded that homes converted through a planning application process deliver higher quality homes than those converted via permitted development rights. The proposals are also at odds with their ambitions to give local communities greater control over developments where they live. “Building the homes the country needs should be delivered through a locally-led planning system, and in the right places supported by the right infrastructure. Only this ensures a mix of high-quality, affordable housing that meets the needs of local communities, while also giving those communities the opportunity to shape and define the area they live in.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The latest research from digital property pack provider, Moverly, has revealed that cooling market conditions and the higher cost of borrowing have resulted in one property market silver lining, as the number of homes returning to the market following a scuppered sale have reduced by 60% when compared to the start of the year. Moverly analysed data on the current number of homes to have returned to the market following the collapse of a previously agreed sale and how this level of market instability has changed since the start of the year (July versus February 2023). The figures show that currently some 2,118 homes have returned to the market across England, -60% fewer when compared to the start of the year, with every region of the nation seeing a reduction. Yorkshire and the Humber has seen the largest reduction in the number of homes returning to the market, down -67% since the start of the year. The West Midlands (-63%) and North East (-63%) also rank within the top three in this respect. The South East is the region where the most homes are currently returning to market, accounting for almost a quarter (24%) of the national total. London also accounts for a considerable proportion of these homes (14%) along with the East of England (14%). In terms of the property type that is most likely to cause sellers to return to the drawing board, detached homes top the table, accounting for 38% of all homes returning to the market. Flats are the second most common (26%), followed by semi-detached homes (22%). Moverly co-founder Ed Molyneux, commented: “The current property landscape is far from desirable, with increasing interest rates pushing up mortgage costs and deterring many buyers and existing homeowners from making their move. In recent months, this has led to a reduction in market activity, with house prices also cooling due to declining buyer demand levels. However, one silver lining to these cooler market conditions is a fall in the number of homes returning to the market having previously agreed a sale. This demonstrates that those buyers who are moving forward with a purchase are doing so after a far greater degree of consideration than was shown during the erratic highs of the pandemic market boom. As a result, fewer transactions are collapsing due to the fact that buyers are in a proceedable position and aren’t being found out further down the line.” Data tables Data tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MEMBERS of the newly formed National Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) from all over the UK have gathered in person for the first time for the organisation’s inaugural meeting, with more than 50 people in attendance. The group’s members bring together Tier 1 contractors, specialist organisations and energy providers, sharing a collective mission to drive the delivery of high-quality energy efficiency measures and low carbon technologies at scale across the UK’s housing stock. The day focused on the NHDG’s three core pillars, around which working groups are now being developed – policy, green skills and training, and innovation. The magnitude of the NHDG and its already close collaboration with relevant government entities was marked by attendance from senior representatives of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). The department’s director for net zero buildings, Selvin Brown, spoke to members about the progress made so far, the scale of the remaining challenge and upcoming government commitment for decarbonisation across the social and private housing sectors. Derek Horrocks, chair of the NHDG, said: “Since our initial launch just last month, momentum has been building with more Tier 1 contractors committing their membership and the ongoing development of our operations. “The inaugural meeting marked the first time all members gathered in one place, and we’ve got there very quickly from a standing start, bringing together big-name businesses that need no introduction. The meeting couldn’t have been more positive, and it’s been really heartening to see every single organisation represented and contributing. “Supply chain capabilities, funding, and developing the skills needed for the retrofit revolution were all key talking points throughout the day – as was how we can attract new talent into the industry too. The day has been full of passion from everyone involved to really sustain collaboration to meet key targets, such as the need for 200,000 more competent retrofitters by 2030. “With the majority of large-scale domestic retrofit work in the UK set to be carried out by NHDG members over the coming years, we have an important responsibility. Together we must lead the change and develop a robust supply chain capable of delivering government goals and more. Long-term commitments are in place for the decarbonisation of 26 million UK homes to meet net zero, backed by more than £12 billion pledged by this and the next parliament. “The time is now – and together we have the ambition, resource and drive to push forward, with the opportunity to improve the lives of thousands of people up and down the country currently facing some of the biggest energy and climate crises of our time.” The NHDG’s members are already delivering large-scale PAS:2035 compliant installations funded by various government schemes, including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Home Upgrade Grant (HUG). Together, members will support retrofit installations for all housing tenures up and down the country, delivering the highest levels of quality and compliance. Expert professional services consultancy Gemserv acts as the group’s secretariat. To learn more about NHDG, its aims and its members, visit its website at: https://www.nhdg.org/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
• 3 in 5 social housing residencies suffered a security breach in the last year, with a third of landlords victim to at least 20 breaches. • A quarter of properties were reported to have faulty entrance doors. • Only 63% of landlords felt the level of security their properties offered was ‘adequate’. New research from leading door manufacturer JELD-WEN reports high levels of security breaches in social housing properties, and the challenges of maintaining safety protocols in multi-occupancy developments. The survey collated responses from housing associations and social housing landlords to investigate the level of safety and security provided across multi-occupancy properties in the UK – including apartment blocks and communal living spaces – and to highlight the challenges facing the sector. It found that 59% of respondents had security breaches in their properties in the last 12 months, with more than a third (34%) reporting to have had more than 20 breaches. The main cause of security breaches was reportedly due to a tenant mistake or issue (e.g. leaving a communal door open), which accounted for 34% of all breaches, followed by faulty entrance doors for 26% of properties. Among other industry issues, only 22% of respondents ranked security as a top priority for their organisation. The main concerns around delivering high-quality security included: • a lack of understanding among tenants about security protocols (46%) • expense (37%) • a lack of understanding within procurement about what security products are in the market (21%) A high proportion (60%) of landlords had received tenant concerns about the level of security offered by their property, citing poor locks or closers on main doors, security systems needing repairs, non-residents gaining access, and anti-social behaviour resulting in damage to entrance doors. Of those surveyed, only 63% felt that the security measures in place in their residential blocks were adequate. Yet despite this, and the high level of concern from tenants, only 13% of organisations surveyed are considering smart locks on communal doors – such as wifi-enabled or keyless entry locks – compared to the 54% who aren’t. Commenting on the findings, Glyn Hauser, R&D Senior Group Manager at JELD-WEN, said: “The survey results are a clear indicator of two major challenges facing the social housing sector today – engaging with tenants on the importance of adhering to security protocols, and instilling the responsibility of landlords and developers to ensure doorsets offer an enhanced level of security as the first stage of protection. “It’s concerning to hear that more than a third (37%) of social housing landlords and providers think that the security measures in place in their properties are inadequate. With one burglary taking place every 13 seconds in the UK, this is simply not good enough. “A secure flat entrance doorset is, arguably, the most effective first line of defence, and by investing in a purpose-built, certified doorset, we believe that landlords can elevate safety standards and rebuild confidence within their properties, so that tenants can feel safe and secure in their homes.” The research also reports challenges in delivering high quality fire safety in multi-occupancy properties, despite fire safety regulations attracting continued scrutiny and an increasing pressure on developers and landlords to ensure better standards for residents. Nine in 10 respondents had an inspection on internal fire doors in the last two years, with 50% finding a flaw. These include poorly fitted doors, damage to door closers and hardware improvements required. Choosing the correct doorset for a project can be a daunting task, thankfully JELD-WEN has a helpful guide about choosing a secure flat entrance doorset here. Glyn continues: “Understandably, the housing sector continues to face many challenges, but everyone has a right to feel safe at home and the urgent need to improve fire safety and security standards cannot fall by the wayside. It has never been more important to ensure properties have the correct products and protocols in place, and by investing in a certified, purpose-built doorset, landlords have the best chance of reducing risk and keeping their tenants secure.” As the UK’s largest manufacturer of high quality timber interior doors and doorsets, JELD-WEN offers a range of dual-purpose, certified interior doorsets providing assurance that both security and fire safety have been independently evaluated by specialists. The JELD-WEN SecureFIT and SecureSET flat entrance doorsets are dual tested and certified to provide 30-minute fire, smoke and security protection as listed under the Certifire and CertiSecure certification scheme, giving complete assurance to social housing providers, developers and construction professionals that the people, property and assets within the building are safe and secure.
