The Older People’s Housing Taskforce has published a final report which includes many recommendations made by Propertymark. We met with the taskforce chair, Professor Julienne Meyer, and responded to the consultation, with proposals to enhance the choice, quality and security of housing for senior citizens.

The Remediation Acceleration Plan is the first scheme to set a deadline for completing work on all buildings in England with unsafe cladding. So far, only 30% of known at-risk buildings have been fully remediated, and it’s estimated that as many as 7,000 are still to be identified. Building Safety Minister, Alex Norris, MP, stated three aims; to fix buildings faster, identify all those with unsafe cladding, and support vulnerable residents.

Propertymark has long campaigned for incentives and realistic funding for landlords, tenants, and homeowners to upgrade their properties so we can see more energy-efficient homes, lower bills, and reduce emissions in the property sector. We are pleased to support National Energy Action’s Fuel Poverty Awareness Day on 27 November 2024, which highlights how the continuing energy crisis is stretching household, leaving many people struggling in cold, unsafe and unhealthy homes.

Propertymark has criticised the Scottish Government’s proposals for implementing a Building Safety Levy, stating that it is not the best way to fund the remediation of unsafe cladding, and risks cutting the supply of homes. Instead, charges should be directed to the developers and individuals responsible for installing the cladding in roughly 6,000 buildings across the country.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has responded to recommendations made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) based on their year-long investigation of residential construction in England, Scotland, and Wales. Ministers agree that reform is essential to ensure the market delivers homes that the country needs and have committed to creating a long-term housing strategy with the buy-in of local authorities, developers, landowners and investors.

Despite a reputation for being draughty and inefficient, old houses were designed to work with their environment and can still do that well if properly repaired and maintained. To understand the performance of a particular building, and identify opportunities for improvement, owners and managers should consider all the factors that impact energy use and efficiency and remember that some retrofit measures may simple not be feasible.

The UK Government announced measures affecting letting agents, landlords, and tenants at the 2024 Labour Conference with Awaab’s Law legislation being brought forward to Autumn 2024 for the social rented sector with a consultation on a new Decent Homes standard across all rented sectors imminent.

Based on findings from a survey of over 700 letting agents, The Property Ombudsman (TPO) has published new guidance to help agents, landlords and tenants to deal with condensation, damp, and mould in their properties. Casework undertaken by the service in 2023 included over 1,000 enquiries, 200 investigations, and £36,000 in compensation awarded for cases involving damp and mould.

The Renters Rights Bill represents a significant overhaul of the way that the private rented sector functions. Following its introduction to parliament on 11 September 2024, myths and misconceptions have begun circulating throughout the property sector and amongst consumers about what the proposed legislation means in practice. With so many seeking clarity, Propertymark is here to provide confidence about what is going to change and what will remain the same.

The culprit claimed she could not afford to carry out maintenance at the property, and ignored an Improvement Notice and further requests from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). For several years, tenants at the property were forced to put up with a temperamental boiler that often left them without heating or hot water, as well as a condemned cooker. An HSE investigation found that the landlord was receiving full rent from the tenant at the time enforcement action was taken.

The Renters' Reform Bill was introduced to parliament on 11 September 2024. If passed without amendment, the Bill will significantly overhaul the structure for private rented sector housing and repeal Section 21, alongside a number of other significant measures including the removal of fixed term tenancies, the expansion of Rent Repayment Orders, and a new landlord Ombudsman. There are many hurdles for the Bill to clear as part of the process of parliamentary scrutiny, but as Labour have a majority in the House of Commons the legislation could go through as quickly as next spring, with the reforms being implemented by late summer 2025.

The final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has concluded that the 72 deaths caused by the devastating fire on 14 June 2017 were avoidable. Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who chaired the Inquiry, stated that there was widespread incompetence from those responsible for the safety of the building and its occupants, including the local authority, contractors, and tenant management organisations. Prime Minister Kier Starmer, MP, said it is likely that further legislation will be needed to implement recommendations made in the report and proposals will be put before parliament as soon as possible. He also accepted that remediation work is behind schedule and must be speeded up.

From 9–15 September, we will again support the biggest awareness campaign to highlight the importance of regular gas safety checks emphasising this year’s theme, Checking – Every Check Counts.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a new initiative to speed up the completion of stalled housing developments across England, estimating it could deliver 300,000 new homes. The announcement comes hot on the heels of a warning from the New Homes Ombudsman that only 55% of new builds are currently covered by its service.

Health risks, regulation, proactive property management, and responding effectively to tenants' reporting issues are key messages in the UK Government’s updated guidance on understanding and addressing dampness and mould in rented homes. Plus, they stress the importance of building relationships with professionals and ensuring contractors understand the issues, process, and legal requirements are paramount.

Emergency services were called to the mixed-use residential and commercial block in Dagenham, East London, on 26 August 2024, and declared the scene a major incident. The building is one of 4,613 across the UK currently being monitored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government due to unsafe cladding.