02 July 2004
Landlords in the West Midlands face the greatest challenge meeting the decent homes target, according to new government figures.
The regional study, published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, shows that 38.5% of houses in the West Midlands fall below the standard. In Yorkshire and the Humber, the figure is only slightly lower at 37.4%.
The regions with the lowest proportion of non-decent properties are the Northeast (26.5%) and East of England (28.1%)
Meanwhile, 80 MPs have signed a new parliamentary motion calling on the government to help councils fund repairs and maintenance where tenants vote against stock transfer, an arm's-length management organisation or the Private Finance Initiative.
Local authority borrowing could be financed via an investment allowance as part of the new prudential framework, says the motion. An earlier motion, also opposing the government's decent homes strategy, attracted 112 signatures.
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