28 February 2011
Social housing landlords will be required to set out how they will protect vulnerable residents in the forthcoming shake-up of social housing, which will end tenancies for life and introduce market-based rents.
In a written ministerial statement laid before Parliament today, housing minister Grant Shapps confirmed plans to allow social housing landlords to offer fixed-term tenancies, for a minimum of two years, and set rents of up to 80% of the local market rent. The changes will not affect existing tenants.
But in light of concerns raised in the government’s consultation on the proposals, housing providers will now have to publish policies setting out how they will protect vulnerable residents and existing tenants.
Shapps said: ‘Over the past 13 years a lazy consensus in social housing meant the numbers of people left languishing on waiting lists almost doubled. We cannot sit idly by and watch as people simply join the back of the queue – urgent reform is needed to make sure as many people as possible benefit from the support that social housing offers.
‘This new system will be fairer and more flexible, ensuring the most vulnerable in our society continue to be protected while giving councils the freedom to offer fixed tenancies to new tenants so they can give help where and when it’s needed for as long as it’s needed.’
Today’s statement follows a public consultation, which ran from November until January, although many of the plans were included in the Localism Bill, which was first published in December and has already had two readings in the Commons.
Other housing reforms include allowing councils to determine who qualifies to join their housing waiting list and requiring social landlords to sign up to a National Home Swap Scheme.
There were almost 700 responses to the consultation, with some two-thirds of council respondents welcoming their new powers to manage waiting lists.
