Social Housing Weekly - 4 June 2024

A word from us

Labour in-fighting over candidates, Conservative chaos, and a newly soaked Farage on tour in Clacton, the election campaign is truly underway! For the next few weeks, this missive will be campaign-focused, with priority given to any morsels of housing policy which might emerge amongst the photo opportunities and viral moments.

This week my inimitable colleague Peter dives into the Tory housing policy which is a little...limited. It's not wholly surprising since, so far, the Prime Minister's campaign has almost exclusively looked to policies which will appeal to an older demographic, eschewing any issues which younger voters might care about, including housing. Instead, he has promised to put the young through national service (it's for their own good!), resorted to 'gender critical' dog-whistling, and promised to (further) gold plate the pensions triple lock...or something.

Next week, one of LCA's 'Labour experts' will be digging deep into the opposition's housing policy offer. Here's hoping they announce something juicy for us to digest together or it will be another short edition!

P.S. Well known housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa has begun a regular monthly column for the Guardian, with his first entry describing his ‘frustration’ with social housing providers in their ‘lack of urgency’ to remediate quality and performance issues. The campaigner has said he is still committed to ‘naming and shaming’ providers and considers it a ‘full-time job’ to expose poor quality housing - one to watch going forward!

Harriet Shone

LCA Director

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Policy watch

Tory housing policy, where is it? - by Peter Lord

So here we are - twelve days into the general election campaign and time to get to grips with what exactly each main party plans to do to solve our housing problems... The sad truth of course is that housing has been far from the top of either party's agenda with few new or specific announcements coming forward. Nonetheless, here at Social Housing Weekly we consider it our duty to pick over these meagre scraps to see what, if anything, is of real interest to the sector.

This week, we turn our attention to the Conservatives. There have been plenty of policy announcements in recent days, from providing "clarity" on the definition of sex to shutting down "rip off" degree courses and, of course, the commitment to introduce National Service. Sadly though, key commitments on housing supply, affordability, conditions and other concerns facing families have not yet been set out; as of this morning, we still do not know when the party's full election manifesto will be published...

The return of the Renters Reform Bill?

One housing policy that will almost certainly be continued by the Conservatives, in the (unlikely) event that they win the upcoming election, is renters' reform. Gove's flagship legislation failed to complete its passage through Parliament in the pre-election wash-up and has faced opposition from a number of Tory landlords, opposed to the ban on no-fault evictions. 

What else could be in the Conservative manifesto - or, suggestions for Rishi...

In other possible policy announcements, Michael Gove has lobbied to scrap nutrient neutrality laws that are said to be blocking 100,000 new homes. The outgoing Housing Secretary previously saw his attempts to axe them last year thwarted by Labour. Meanwhile, prior to the announcement of the general election, the Prime Minister was reportedly considering the revitalisation of the Help to Buy scheme. Will either of these make it into the manifesto?

Three strikes and you're out for social tenants

Of course, it is not just housing policy that affects the social housing sector. The Prime Minister is to announce the Conservatives’ new plans to combat anti-social behaviour, pledging a ‘three-strikes’ system for nuisance social housing tenants and driving licence points for people caught fly-tipping. The Conservatives are also pledging a ‘hot spot’ policing programme for the worst affected areas of anti-social behaviour, similar to plans previously announced by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Housing in the headlines

Social housing provides vital affordable housing option

Research by Shelter has found that the average rent for new social housing lettings in England is over 60% more affordable than in the private rented sector. Social housing tenancies cost £457.30 a month against £1,285 for private lets. A separate survey of social renters found that 70% of tenants would be unable to live in their local area without social housing.

Section 21 evictions on the rise, as renters' reform legislation abandoned

For those who are able to secure an affordable tenancy, other securities can remain evasive. Analysis from the GLA shows that the number of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions soared by 52% in London in 2023. The Mayor of London called the surge and the Government’s abandonment of the Renters Reform Bill in ‘wash-up’ before the dissolution of Parliament as a ‘huge betrayal’ of London’s renters. Analysis by Savills has shown typical buy-to-let investments are becoming less attractive to landlords, with 63% reporting a decline in their profits over the past year. The increased purchase prices for properties, combined with higher interest rates and stamp duty, has led to a ‘significant slowdown’ in new housing entering the private rented sector since 2014.

Leasehold reform legislation fails to impress

From the reform that never made it across the line, to the one that finally did, the British Property Federation has criticised the Government’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill as ‘one of the least celebrated laws ever.’ Director of Policy Ian Fletcher said the Act, which achieved Royal Assent following ‘wash-up’ of the Government’s remaining bills on 24 May. Fletcher said promises ‘have not been delivered, in some cases thankfully, because they would have caused so much damage to the leasehold system.’ Gerald Eve has warned that while leaseholders will be ‘delighted’ with the Act, further reforms and secondary legislation will be needed.

Half of council areas fail to deliver enough homes

Of course, decent conditions for renters and leaseholders are in large part dependent on a stead supply of homes for them to live in. Unfortunately, housing delivery remains the lumbering elephant in the room; figures from Lichfields show that more than half of England’s councils delivered fewer homes in the past three years than was needed, while 37 councils delivered twice as many. Overall, a third of councils have been penalised by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for failing to meet the Government’s delivery test of at least a 95% completion target.

Housebuilders call for planning reform to boost building

Senior leaders in the built environment have called on the next Government to carry out reforms to the planning system and tackle the housing crisis to unlock growth. Chief Executive of Landsec Mark Allan said the sector needs ‘a simpler, more stable framework for businesses to operate within’, while CEO of Barratt Developments David Thomas has called for ‘positive policies from all parties aimed at increasing housebuilding.’ Rick de Blaby, Chief Executive of Get Living, added that the election is a chance for a ‘grand vision and a comprehensive plan to fix the UK’s housing crisis’ and the issue must be ‘one of the key pillars of the election campaign and whoever is in government in six weeks.’

Election Watch

Is Gove running scared of the Yellow Wedge?

The Liberal Democrats are concentrating their efforts on driving a "yellow wedge" through the former Conservative heartlands in the south, according to Alasdair Pinkerton, the Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Surrey Heath. According to the Guardian, Gove's shock resignation just 48 hours into the election campaign was a reaction to the polls, and the simple realisation that he could lose the formerly-safe Conservative seat.

First Tory election posted revealed

The Conservative Party has unveiled its first election poster, drawing on the party’s attacks on Labour’s economic policy, stating ‘If you think Labour will win, start saving…’, alongside a red piggy bank. The Telegraph reports that the poster is intended to have similarities to the ‘Labour isn’t working’ poster from Margaret Thatcher’s 1978-79 victory.

Abbott aims to "stand and win" for Labour

Diane Abbott has said that she will contest her Hackney North & Stoke Newington seat after the Labour Party confirmed that she was able to stand. Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Angela Rayner has said Abbott was not treated ‘fairly or appropriately’ by Labour and ‘doesn’t see any reason’ why Abbott should not contest the seat as Labour’s candidate. Rayner said that she wishes for Abbott to retire after 37 years as an MP ‘being respected and being celebrated.’ Leader of Scottish Labour Anas Sawar has joined Rayner in supporting Abbott’s candidacy, with leading Black British figures from business and the arts writing an open letter of condemnation over the party’s treatment of Abbott.

It's that rare thing - a housing policy - but sadly not from the two largest parties

Speaking to Inside Housing, the Lib Dems have said that they want to deliver 150,000 social homes per year in England by the end of the next parliament. Meanwhile, the Greens have said that they would like to make it easier for local authorities to acquire vacant properties and that they would invest in retrofitting homes. 

From Mondeo Man to Whitby Woman

The Guardian has published an article on the ‘Whitby woman’, the group of undecided voters who are key to winning the election. They are female, over 60, own their own homes and are less likely to have a degree but more likely to have voted to leave the European Union.