The Week in Housing: return of the minister

Good afternoon.

In a galaxy not that far away, Lee Rowley took on the role as housing minister for the first time last year. He lasted just 49 days. Little did he know he would return this week as the Renters’ Reform Bill had its first evidence session.

At the Public Bill Committee meeting, National Housing Federation boss Kate Henderson urged ministers to clarify changes in the bill that would restrict rent increases to once per year and require landlords to give two months’ notice of rent changes.

During the session, shadow housing minister Matthew Pennycook spent some of his time questioning the evidence behind claims that the abolition of Section 21 would lead to an “exodus” of private rented sector landlords.

An issue that has really reared its ugly head over the past seven days is structural safety. Minutes obtained by Inside Housing revealed how an expert group assembled to advise the government?warned of major risks, including unstrengthened Ronan Point-style buildings, and said “the market is… prioritising profit over safety”.

A particular concern was ageing large panel systems (LPS) buildings. The experts said many “LPS buildings which were supposed to have undergone remedial work in previous decades were not remediated”.

These minutes were unearthed as Bristol City Council?declared a major incident?at a 65-year-old block in Barton Hill on the edge of the city centre. Hundreds of residents were evacuated from the tower, which was made using LPS. However, nine households?have decided to stay.

Another dangerous incident, which could have been much worse, occurred on a London housing estate where a balcony partially collapsed onto the street below.

Bouygues UK, an arm of the French construction giant, said it was taking “immediate action” to tackle the issues at Weavers Quarter in Barking, east London.

A total of 70 balconies are being inspected by Barking and Dagenham Council, which owns and manages properties on the new build estate through B&D Reside, its housing company.

L&Q has today revealed that it had previously asked the contractor to investigate and repair 56 balconies two years ago.

While the tower block in Bristol was built in 1958, the building where the balcony collapsed was built just four years ago.?

With stories about structural safety mounting up, Peter Apps looks at whether the UK is heading towards a new building safety crisis.

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