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<meta name="Title" content="ROOF Magazine - Lunchtime news April 25"/>
<meta name="Description" content="Papers including the Mail interpret comments by Mervyn King yesterday as a signal that the property boom may be over – though…"/>
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<meta name="Date" content="25 April 2023"/>
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<li><a href="/">ROOF</a></li>
<li><a href="../../roofblog">ROOF Blog</a></li><li>April 2007</li>
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<h1>ROOF Blog archive</h1>
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<p>Displaying ROOF Blog articles from <strong>April 2007</strong></p>
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<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_25">Lunchtime news April 25</a></h2>
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<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">25/04/2023</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p>Papers including the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450401&in_page_id=1770" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450401&in_page_id=1770’);" target="_blank"><strong>Mail</strong></a> interpret comments by <strong>Mervyn King</strong> yesterday as a signal that the property boom may be over – though the Bank of England governor also said inflation is set to fall.</p>
<p>But leading buy-to-let lender <strong>Bradford and Bingley</strong> sees no signs of a slowdown thanks to immigration and students, reports the <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/a3b57520-f2c8-11db-a454-000b5df10621.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/a3b57520-f2c8-11db-a454-000b5df10621.html’);" target="_blank"><strong>Financial Times</strong></a>.</p>
<p>The chances of a Lords revolt on <strong>home information packs</strong> grew after criticism from a select committee, according to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450498&in_page_id=1770" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450498&in_page_id=1770’);" target="_blank"><strong>Mail</strong></a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://society.guardian.co.uk/communities/story/0,,2064499,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://society.guardian.co.uk/communities/story/0,,2064499,00.html’);" target="_blank"><strong>The Guardian</strong></a> profiles <strong>Debbie Crew</strong>, housing advisor and ROOF contributor, who has won a <a href="http://www.sheilamckechnie.org.uk/" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.sheilamckechnie.org.uk/’);" target="_blank"><strong>Sheila McKechnie Foundation</strong></a> award for campaign against abuses by private landlords.</p>
<p>The property market in <strong>Spain</strong>, where UK citizens own up to 250,000 homes, is about to implode, according to economists from <a href="http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=81747&pt=n" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=81747&pt=n’);"><strong>Lombard Street Research</strong></a>.</p>
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<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-market" title="housing market">housing market</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/private-renting" title="private renting">private renting</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/buy-to-let" title="buy to let">buy to let</a></p>
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<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_24">Lunchtime news April 24</a></h2>
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<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">24/04/2023</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p>In its response to the <strong>Calcutt review</strong> of housebuilding, the <a href="http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/filegrab/Callcuttreviewofhousebuilding.pdf?ref=5329" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/filegrab/Callcuttreviewofhousebuilding.pdf?ref=5329’);"><strong>Council of Mortgage Lenders</strong></a> [downloads PDF] has called for more consultation to avoid mortgagebility problems caused by modern methods of construction and an over-supply of new flats in some areas.</p>
<p>Home loan demand may be slowing down, according to <a href="http://www.bba.org.uk/bba/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=145&a=8678" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.bba.org.uk/bba/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=145&a=8678’);" target="_blank"><strong>British Bankers Association</strong></a> showing <strong>mortgage approvals</strong> below the monthly average of the last six months. But the <a href="http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/media/press/1143" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/media/press/1143’);" target="_blank"><strong>Council of Mortgage Lenders</strong></a> said lending reached another <strong>new record</strong> in March and was 10% higher than in March 2006. Today’s papers, including <a href="http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2063944,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2063944,00.html’);" target="_blank"><strong>The Guardian</strong></a>, see the data as a signal that the housing market is reaching its peak.</p>
<p>The average home costs its owner <strong>£11,000 a year</strong> to run in mortgage and other essential bills – a 12% rise in the last two years, according to Sainsbury’s Bank reserach reported in the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450228&in_page_id=1770" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450228&in_page_id=1770’);" target="_blank"><strong>Daily Mail</strong></a>.</p>
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<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/mortgage" title="mortgage">mortgage</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-market" title="housing market">housing market</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/development" title="development">development</a></p>
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<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/luncthime_news_april_23">Luncthime news April 23</a></h2>
<div class="clearfix">
<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">23/04/2023</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p>Papers including the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450014&in_page_id=1770" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450014&in_page_id=1770’);" target="_blank"><strong>Daily Mail</strong></a> cover research from the Halifax showing average <strong>house prices</strong> are now more than £100,000 even in the cheapest towns in England.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450036&in_page_id=1770" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450036&in_page_id=1770’);" target="_blank"><strong>Mail </strong></a>also reports a forecast from the respected <a href="http://www.ey.com/GLOBAL/content.nsf/UK/Economic_Outlook" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.ey.com/GLOBAL/content.nsf/UK/Economic_Outlook’);" target="_blank"><strong>Ernst & Young Item Club</strong></a> that <strong>interest rates</strong> will stay ‘painfully high’ until at least 2011.</p>
<p><strong>Young people</strong> leaving care are being placed in unsuitable accommodation where they are harrassed and bullied by other tenants, according to research by the charity <a href="http://www.raineronline.org/gen/m7_policy.aspx" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.raineronline.org/gen/m7_policy.aspx’);" target="_blank"><strong>Rainer</strong></a> reported in <a href="http://society.guardian.co.uk/children/story/0,,2063632,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://society.guardian.co.uk/children/story/0,,2063632,00.html’);" target="_blank"><strong>The Guardian</strong></a>.</p>
<p>Former home secretary <strong>David Blunkett</strong> says council homes should be given first to Britons on the waiting list to help tackle angle about immigrants jumping the queue, reports <a href="http://society.guardian.co.uk/communities/story/0,,2063029,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://society.guardian.co.uk/communities/story/0,,2063029,00.html’);"><strong>The Observer</strong></a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://society.guardian.co.uk/communities/news/0,,2063536,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://society.guardian.co.uk/communities/news/0,,2063536,00.html’);"><strong>The Observer</strong></a> also reports on cold-calling canvassers persuading tenants to take on huge <strong>right-to-buy</strong> loans.</p>
<p>The Financial Services Authority has warned banks they are taking on ‘substantial risks’ with <strong>sub-prime mortgages</strong>, reports Saturday’s <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/38a15288-efa6-11db-a64e-000b5df10621.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/38a15288-efa6-11db-a64e-000b5df10621.html’);" target="_blank"><strong>Financial Times</strong></a>.</p>
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<div class="blog_tags">
<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/tenants" title="tenants">tenants</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/mortgage" title="mortgage">mortgage</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/homelessness" title="homelessness">homelessness</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/house-prices" title="house prices">house prices</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/migration" title="migration">migration</a></p>
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<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_19">Lunchtime news April 19</a></h2>
<div class="clearfix">
<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">19/04/2023</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p><a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_method=full%26objectid=18931513%26siteid=89520-name_page.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/tm_method=full%26objectid=18931513%26siteid=89520-name_page.html’);"><strong>The Mirror</strong></a> reports on the scandal of <strong>’buy to leave’</strong> – rented property left empty by speculators – and quotes Yvette Cooper calling for action by local authorities.</p>
<p>Lenders are withdrawing their <strong>fixed rate mortgages</strong> ahead of an expected rate rise, reports the <a href="http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2061918,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2061918,00.html’);"><strong>Guardian</strong></a>. Is a property crash on the way?</p>
<p>Leading housebuilder <strong>Taylor Woodrow</strong> has been forced to hand back its affordable housing allocation from the Housing Corporation, reports <a href="http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448922" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448922’);"><strong>Inside Housing</strong></a>.</p>
<p>Many councils have vastly underestimated the amount of refurbishment work required to meet the 2010 decent homes target, reports <a href="http://http//www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448917" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448917’);" target="_blank"><strong>Inside Housing</strong></a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448923" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448923’);"><strong>Inside Housing</strong></a> also reports on <strong>Tony Blair</strong>’s legacy for social housing – it will make better reading for the prime minister than much of his recent press – and <a href="http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448920" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448920’);"><strong>priorities</strong></a> for his successor.</p>
<p>The new issue of ROOF is published today, with stories including our exclusive affordability index already getting coverage elsewhere. Go <a href="http://http//news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1261625,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1261625,00.html’);" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a>, and <a href="http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=45975&in_page_id=34" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=45975&in_page_id=34’);"><strong>here</strong></a> for more. Other features include Britain’s hottest property (it’s a council house), exclusive research into repossessions by sub-prime lenders, Nick Raynsford and John Hills reaction to the Hills review of social housing and contributors including Richard Ingrams and Jake Arnott. Go <a href="http://www.shelter-hosting.org.uk/roofblog/index.php?page_id=11&section=2" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.shelter-hosting.org.uk/roofblog/index.php?page_id=11§ion=2’);"><strong>here</strong></a> to subscribe.</p>
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<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/homelessness" title="homelessness">homelessness</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/finance" title="finance">finance</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/environment" title="environment">environment</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-association" title="housing association">housing association</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/private-renting" title="private renting">private renting</a></p>
</div>
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<div class="blog_item clearfix">
<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_17">Lunchtime news April 17</a></h2>
<div class="clearfix">
<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">17/04/2023</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p>Today’s papers are full of yesterday’s increase in inflation and <a href="http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2059675,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=24" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2059675,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=24’);"><strong>some</strong></a> are now predicting two more increases in <strong>interest rates</strong>.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://society.guardian.co.uk/voluntary/story/0,,2059075,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://society.guardian.co.uk/voluntary/story/0,,2059075,00.html’);"><strong>The Guardian</strong></a>, Shaks Ghosh, the former head of Crisis, is to become chief executive of the <strong>Private Equity Foundation</strong>, a charity set up by the controversial private equity industry with £20m to invest in organisations tackling social exclusion.</p>
<p><strong>Defend Council Housing</strong> has launched an <a href="http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/fourth-option/" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/fourth-option/’);"><strong>online petition</strong></a> [628 signatures so far] on the Downing Street website demanding that the government implements the fourth option of direct investment in council housing.</p>
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<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/mortgage" title="mortgage">mortgage</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/repossession" title="repossession">repossession</a></p>
</div>
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<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_16">Lunchtime news April 16</a></h2>
<div class="clearfix">
<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">16/04/2023</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p>The <a href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/news/climate-change-starts-at-home-campaign.12418.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.libdems.org.uk/news/climate-change-starts-at-home-campaign.12418.html’);"><strong>Liberal Democrats</strong></a> have launched a campaign to cut carbon emissions from housing. <strong>Climate Change Starts at Home</strong> includes a proposal for energy mortgages funding improvements to existing stock and repayable through energy bills.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ukprwire.com/Detailed/Banking_Finance_Investment/Will_landlords_say_no_to_housing_benefit_tenants__5736.shtml" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.ukprwire.com/Detailed/Banking_Finance_Investment/Will_landlords_say_no_to_housing_benefit_tenants__5736.shtml’);"><strong>Residential Landlords Association</strong></a> is advising its members to pull out of the housing benefit market because benefit will be paid direct to tenants under the <strong>local housing allowance</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>House prices</strong> rose 12.1% in the year to February, according to the <a href="http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2410" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2410’);"><strong>DCLG</strong></a>, but prices fell back slightly in February from January.</p>
<p><strong>Key worker</strong> housing policy is perverse, says an editorial in the <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c65a8fa2-ebb6-11db-b290-000b5df10621.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c65a8fa2-ebb6-11db-b290-000b5df10621.html’);"><strong>Financial Times</strong></a>. It boosts demand by subsidising rents and mortgages and restricts supply by making housebuilding less profitable. In the short term, increase their wages. In the long term, increase housing supply.</p>
<p><a href="http://observer.guardian.co.uk/cash/story/0,,2056845,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/cash/story/0,,2056845,00.html’);"><strong>The Observer</strong></a> highlights fears that borrowers struggling with credit cards and personal loans could lose their homes when they take out <strong>consolidation loans</strong>.</p>
<p>Saturday’s <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/33d7211a-ea24-11db-91c7-000b5df10621.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/33d7211a-ea24-11db-91c7-000b5df10621.html’);"><strong>Financial Times</strong></a> highlighted fears that the introduction of <strong>home information packs</strong> could lead to a hiatus in the housing market as sellers rush on to the market before June.</p>
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<div class="blog_tags">
<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/environment" title="environment">environment</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/house-prices" title="house prices">house prices</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-benefit" title="housing benefit">housing benefit</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/private-renting" title="private renting">private renting</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/low-cost-home-ownership" title="low-cost home ownership">low-cost home ownership</a></p>
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<div class="blog_item clearfix">
<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_13">Lunchtime news April 13</a></h2>
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<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">13/04/2023</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p><strong>Key workers</strong> can’t afford homes in seven out of ten UK towns, according to Halifax research reported in papers including <a href="http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2444480.ece" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2444480.ece’);"><strong>The Independent</strong></a>.</p>
<p>The National Audit Office is investigating <strong>housing market renewal pathfinders</strong> to see if they offer value for money, reports <a href="http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448888" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448888’);"><strong>Inside Housing.</strong></a></p>
<p>A report for the <a href="http://www.cre.gov.uk/research/newmigrantcommunities.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.cre.gov.uk/research/newmigrantcommunities.html’);"><strong>Commission for Racial Equality</strong></a> says racial tension is greatest in areas of most housing need, says <a href="http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448907" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448907’);"><strong>Inside Housing</strong></a>.</p>
<p><strong>Boom or crash?</strong> <a href="http://money.independent.co.uk/property/mortgages/article2444417.ece" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://money.independent.co.uk/property/mortgages/article2444417.ece’);"><strong>The Independent</strong></a> debates the big question.</p>
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<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/affordability" title="affordability">affordability</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-market" title="housing market">housing market</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/community-relations" title="community relations">community relations</a></p>
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<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_10">Lunchtime news April 10</a></h2>
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<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">10/04/2023</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p>Papers including the<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2054827,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2054827,00.html’);"><strong> Guardian</strong> </a>and <strong><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/12/noise312.xml" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/12/noise312.xml’);">Telegraph</a></strong> cover plans for ‘sin bins’ for anti-social families in yesterday’s launch of the government’s network of <strong><a href="http://www.respect.gov.uk/news/article.aspx?id=10318" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.respect.gov.uk/news/article.aspx?id=10318’);">family intervention projects</a>.</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/53fd19ce-e892-11db-b2c3-000b5df10621.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/53fd19ce-e892-11db-b2c3-000b5df10621.html’);"><strong>Financial Times</strong> </a>reports on contrasting indicators for the housing market: the latest RICS survey showing that the house price bubble is still growing and a report from Datamonitor that says it may be about to burst.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.10794/changeNav/431" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.10794/changeNav/431’);"><strong>Housing Corporation</strong> </a>has announced extra incentives to tenants buying under the struggling <strong>social homebuy</strong> scheme. Tenants who part-buy will get a discount when they staircase up as well as when they buy their intitial share.</p>
<p>Leading UK sub-prime lender <strong>Kensington</strong> has issued its second profit warning in three weeks, according to the <strong><a href="http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/investing-and-markets/article.html?in_article_id=419265&in_page_id=3" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/investing-and-markets/article.html?in_article_id=419265&in_page_id=3’);">Evening Standard</a></strong>.</p>
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<div class="blog_tags">
<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/tenants" title="tenants">tenants</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/development" title="development">development</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/environment" title="environment">environment</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/house-prices" title="house prices">house prices</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-association" title="housing association">housing association</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/community-relations" title="community relations">community relations</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/stock-transfer" title="stock transfer">stock transfer</a></p>
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<div class="blog_item clearfix">
<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_4">Lunchtime news April 4</a></h2>
<div class="clearfix">
<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">04/04/2024</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p>An independent affordability review in <strong>Northern Ireland</strong> has called for an extra 10,000 social rented homes to be built and 9,500 empty homes to be brought back into use over the next five years. The <a href="../../consultation-review_affordable_housing.pdf" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/consultation-review_affordable_housing.pdf’);"><strong>Semple report</strong></a> [downloads PDF] also called for fast-tracking of planning applications for new homes.</p>
<p>Not before time: the <a href="http://www.nationwide.co.uk/hpi/" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.nationwide.co.uk/hpi/’);"><strong>Nationwide</strong></a> says house prices in Northern Ireland are rising at their fastest since records began in 1973 while the <a href="http://www.nationwide.co.uk/hpi/" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.nationwide.co.uk/hpi/’);"><strong>Halifax</strong></a> [downloads PDF] says that in the last two years prices have overaken everywhere except London, the South East and the South West.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.10717/changeNav/431" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.10717/changeNav/431’);"><strong>Housing Corporation</strong></a> has put <strong>AmicusHorizon</strong> group under <strong>supervision</strong> and has made three statutory appointment to the board of the housing association that manages 27,000 homes in London and the South East. It said it acted ‘because of concerns about its governance and management, arising from on-going poor operational performance within the group’s subsidiary SLFHA’.</p>
<p>As the election campaign hots up in Scotland, the <a href="http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1309284.0.0.php" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1309284.0.0.php’);"><strong>Herald</strong></a> has a major feature on the housing crisis in <strong>Glasgow</strong> in the wake of the stock transfer, house price boom and buy to let.</p>
<p><strong>House prices</strong> rose by 1% in March, according to the <a href="http://www.hbosplc.com/economy/includes/HousePriceIndexMar2007A.pdf" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.hbosplc.com/economy/includes/HousePriceIndexMar2007A.pdf’);"><strong>Halifax</strong></a> [downloads PDF]. The annual rate rose to 11.1% but the bank said the increase was for ‘purely arithmetical reasons’ to do with the strength of the market in early 2006 and house price inflation should slow down in the coming months.</p>
<p>The Bank of England held <strong>interest rates</strong> at 5.25% this morning but according to the <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/d9da2ac4-e35a-11db-8ea1-000b5df10621.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/d9da2ac4-e35a-11db-8ea1-000b5df10621.html’);"><strong>Financial Times</strong></a> most economists expect another 0.25% rise in May.</p>
<p>The statutory <a href="http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/index.htm" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/index.htm’);"><strong>tenancy deposit scheme</strong></a> in the private rented sector starts tomorrow. Communities secretary <a href="http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2406" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2406’);"><strong>Ruth Kelly</strong></a> at the launch: ‘The new rules will inject greater fairness into the rental market and mean that when a tenant sticks to the rules, the landlord/agent must too.’</p>
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<div class="blog_tags">
<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/homelessness" title="homelessness">homelessness</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/social-housing" title="social housing">social housing</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-market" title="housing market">housing market</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/development" title="development">development</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/environment" title="environment">environment</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/local-government" title="local government">local government</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/low-cost-home-ownership" title="low-cost home ownership">low-cost home ownership</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/estate-agent" title="estate agent">estate agent</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/stock-transfer" title="stock transfer">stock transfer</a></p>
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<div class="blog_item clearfix">
<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_3">Lunchtime news April 3</a></h2>
<div class="clearfix">
<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">03/04/2024</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p><a href="http://www.scottishconservatives.com/" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.scottishconservatives.com/’);"><strong>Scottish Conservatives</strong></a> want to scrap Communities Scotland and stage a major expansion of shared ownership through <strong>affordable housing trusts</strong>. Their chances of winning the Scottish elections are close to zero but could the plans be a signal of national policy? The <a href="http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=511102007" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=511102007’);"><strong>Scotsman</strong></a> covers the issues in detail.</p>
<p>The <strong>Welsh assembly government</strong> has launched a <a href="http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/housing/publications/protocoldisposeland?lang=en" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/housing/publications/protocoldisposeland?lang=en’);"><strong>new protocol</strong></a> aimed at releasing more surplus land for housing.</p>
<p>Papers including <a href="http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2048696,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2048696,00.html’);"><strong>The Guardian</strong></a> report a big increase in <strong>mortgage equity withdrawal</strong> in the last quarter of 2006, taking the total for the year to almost £50bn.</p>
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<div class="blog_tags">
<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/mortgage" title="mortgage">mortgage</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/scotland" title="scotland">scotland</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/wales" title="wales">wales</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blog_item clearfix">
<h2><a href="../../roofblog/2007/04/lunchtime_news_april_2">Lunchtime news April 2</a></h2>
<div class="clearfix">
<div class="post_details">
<p class="blog_date">02/04/2024</p>
<p class="blog_author"><strong>Posted by:</strong><br/>Julian Birch</p>
</div>
<div class="summary">
<p>New research for the <a href="http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1509305" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1509305’);"><strong>DCLG</strong></a> into <strong>loans for vulnerable home owners</strong> concludes there is room for expansion if more choices are developed.</p>
<p><strong>Councils</strong> will be allowed to build and deliver their own housing under a plan to be put to the Labour party conference in the autumn, reports <a href="http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448855" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1448855’);"><strong>Inside Housing</strong></a>. The compromise plan follows conference defeats for the leadership on the fourth option.</p>
<p>The <strong>housing market</strong> is heading for a fall, according to research for the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/02/nhomes02.xml" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/02/nhomes02.xml’);" target="_blank"><strong>Telegraph</strong></a> that says homes are less affordable than at any time since the 1991 crash.</p>
<p>Also in the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/04/02/ccom02.xml" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/04/02/ccom02.xml’);"><strong>Telegraph</strong></a>, <strong>Roger Bootle</strong> analyses the difference between the US and UK markets and concludes a crash here is unlikely – so long as house prices keep rising. However, Bootle’s firm Capital Economics has predicted price falls before and been wrong.</p>
<p>Sunday’s <a href="http://money.independent.co.uk/property/mortgages/article2411257.ece" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://money.independent.co.uk/property/mortgages/article2411257.ece’);"><strong>Independent</strong></a> also analysed the chances of a US-style crash.</p>
<p>Financial advisors interviewed in Saturday’s <a href="http://money.guardian.co.uk/property/mortgages/story/0,,2046721,00.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://money.guardian.co.uk/property/mortgages/story/0,,2046721,00.html’);"><strong>Guardian</strong></a> are sceptical about the Nationwide’s <strong>25-year fixed rate mortgage</strong>.</p>
<p>The DCLG has published new <a href="../../NR/rdonlyres/F66C28E9-7244-40AA-8B7C-F6F0D7663D6C/12093/SPGuidance__.pdf" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.spkweb.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/F66C28E9-7244-40AA-8B7C-F6F0D7663D6C/12093/SPGuidance__.pdf’);"><strong>guidance</strong></a> [downloads PDF] for non-excellent authorities in England on <strong>supporting people</strong> and new <a href="http://www.spkweb.org.uk/Subjects/Legal_Framework/Grant_conditions__directions_and_statutory_guidance/Grant+Conditions+2007-2008.htm" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.spkweb.org.uk/Subjects/Legal_Framework/Grant_conditions__directions_and_statutory_guidance/Grant+Conditions+2007-2008.htm’);"><strong>grant conditions</strong></a> for 2007/08.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.10679/changeNav/431" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker(’/external/http://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.10679/changeNav/431’);"><strong>Housing Corporation</strong></a> has published guidance on new legal powers for housing associations to tackle <strong>anti-social behaviour</strong>.</p>
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<p><strong>Tags: </strong><a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/mortgage" title="mortgage">mortgage</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/affordability" title="affordability">affordability</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/social-housing" title="social housing">social housing</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-market" title="housing market">housing market</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/housing-association" title="housing association">housing association</a>, <a href="../../roofblog/tags/tag/anti-social-behaviour" title="anti-social behaviour">anti-social behaviour</a></p>
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