The Renters Reform Bill

The Renters Reform Bill is shortly due to receive royal assent, the Bill aims to 'level up' the private rented sector, ensuring that the percentage of none-decent homes is greatly reduced, tenants are protected against the rising cost of living and the balance of power between landlords and tenants is more finely balanced. The Bill is part of a wider reform agenda seeking to enhance lives and level up the country, delivering more housing and greater safeguards for tenants and homeowners.

Ahead of this, on 16 June 2022 the Government released the Fairer Private Rented Sector White Paper which sets out further details of how the Government aim to achieve their objectives.

At face value, it may seem that the planned reforms do not relate to social landlords and do not need to be considered, whilst many of the proposals don't relate directly to the social housing sector, there are several points to note in what is coined to be 'the biggest shake up of the private rented sector in 30 years' which may impact upon the social housing sector.

Centre for Cities - Realising Regional Growth: What next for Greater Manchester?

At a recent Centre for Cities event in Manchester, there was a focus on innovation and regeneration in the North to maximise growth and productivity. It brought together academics, politicians and professionals from a vast array of disciplines such as law, banking, insurance and universities.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville addressed why northern cities have not grown to the same extent as the south.

An Update on the Fire Safety of High-Rise Buildings

In March 2020, following the Grenfell tragedy in June 2017, the Fire Safety Bill was introduced into Parliament. The Fire Safety Act 2021 set out to demolish any loopholes from the previous Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order Act 2005 (FSO). It provides significant development on the issue of fire safety, clarifying any concerns surrounding the responsible person with a clear motive to prevent future tragedies from occurring.

The latest update is of specific interest to leaseholders with Section 1 and Section 3 of the Fire Safety Act 2021 which came into force on 16 May 2022. The Fire Safety Authority (FSA) amended the previous Act to extend duties to (1) the structural and external walls of the building to include cladding, balconies, windows and (2) all doors between domestic premises and common parts, for example entrance doors of flats of a multi-occupied residential building.

Webinar - Delegated Authority for the use of CPNs | 6th July 10am

Over the past 12 months, Janine Green (ASB trainer and Consultant) and  Darren Burton from Forbes Solicitors, have been working with Sheffield Hallam University and a range of representatives from different Housing Providers, Local Authorities and police representatives throughout the UK to explore the effective use of the Community Protection Notice (CPN) as an appropriate remedy for tackling ASB-related issues in our neighbourhoods.

One of the first areas of focus for this national working group has been to examine the potential factors behind a low take up of delegated authority to social landlords of the CPN and highlight examples of best practice which have resulted in effective outcomes that can be replicated elsewhere.

This webinar will start by exploring findings and recommendations arising from the research of Sheffield Hallam University, before giving you opportunity to hear from local authority colleagues in Brighton & Hove, who have effectively delegated authority to use the CPN to some of their social housing partners. We will then hear from 2 housing providers, who have taken different approaches to embedding the CPN within their toolkit and processes.  We will hear about the collaborative approaches that have been developed to successfully obtain delegated authority, advice on how to overcome some of the common challenges and the positive impact that this has had on their respective communities.

Following the findings of the working group, a guidance document has been produced to help local areas navigate delegated authority, and provide a checklist of considerations. This document will be introduced to delegates during the session and provided free of charge by email after. 

• Welcome - Janine Green, Janine Green ASB
• An overview of the CPN research and recommendations arising from the work of Sheffield Hallam University - Dr Heap and Dr Black
• Exploring delegated authority from the perspective of a local authority - Pete Wileman, Safer Communities Manager (ASB, Hate Incidents and Exploitation), Brighton & Hove City Council
• The other side of the coin: the experience of the registered provider - Craig Kendall, ASB Officer, Hyde Housing
• A different approach: how the CPN has been adopted by a RP as part of a wider intervention model - Cathy Chattaway, Strategic Business Lead, Incommunities
• An introduction to the guidance document - Darren Burton, Head of ASC Forbes, Forbes Solicitors

Click here to book your place.

Coming up: Simplification of Apprenticeships

From August 2022, the government will make the apprenticeships programme simpler for employers to use. It hopes to make the system more user friendly by reducing 'bureaucratic burdens'. The improvements are set to include:

• Making it simpler for individuals to accelerate their apprenticeship
• Introducing a consistent baseline for off-the-job training
• Changing English and Maths requirements
• Providing a more efficient payment service

Draft rules are available to review on here with a final version of the rules due to be published in July 2022.

Failure to provide private room for employee to express milk amounts to discrimination and harassment

The case of Mellor v The MFG Academies Trust is a reminder for employers to strive for best practice across the organisation to support women who are pregnant and upon their return to work following a period of maternity leave.

The tribunal had to consider the effect of how an employee had been treated following numerous requests for a room to enable her to express breastmilk whilst at work.

Would you like to contribute your insight and expertise to help develop principles for child exploitation and extra-familial harm?

Over the next year, the Tackling Child Exploitation (TCE) Programme will be working alongside cross-government colleagues, children, young people, families, community organisations and professionals from across the safeguarding sector to collaboratively develop ‘Practice Principles’ for child exploitation and extra-familial harm. 

Between June and November 2022, TCE is asking you to contribute your insight and expertise to help develop Practice Principles for child exploitation and extra-familial harm.

To begin, we will run four open access digital events for multi-agency professionals in practice, management, leadership and commissioning roles. They are open to colleagues across all organisations working to safeguard children and young people, support families and create safe spaces and places for young people.

Each event will share thinking on what research and TCE learning tells us, ask participants to reflect on what they might need from the Principles, once developed, and discuss ideas for the Practice Principles in facilitated breakout groups. Places are limited – please book now!

For further information please contact Lucy Belcher, National Programme Manager, Tackling Child Exploitation (TCE) Support Programme, The Children’s Society. 

Meet our Team...Samantha Robinson

Watch our latest video and find out about Samantha Robinson, Associate in the Housing Litigation Department who is presenting the next Housing Management Training session - Property Condition on 26th July. 

Upcoming Training Sessions 

Housing Management Training - Property Condition

26th July | 10am

Samantha Robinson, Associate in Housing Management will be covering -

• An escalatory approach- pre legal action including visits and warning letters, injunction proceedings, possession proceedings
• Hoarding and related considerations
• Physical and other health considerations

Click here to book your place

ASB Training - Capactiy in Litigation

27th July | 10.30am

Join ASB Partner Kirsty Varley when she will be covering -

• capacity to litigate
• the presumption of capacity
• when a party lacks capacity
• dealing with defendants with capacity issues

Click here to book your place

ASB Training - Dementia 

In May Rebecca Webster, Associate at Forbes Solicitors and Laura Flint Learning Manager at Manchester United presented a webinar about Dementia. 

If you missed the training and want to learn how registered providers can support tenants living with dementia and find out about the amazing work Manchester United are doing in supporting those living with dementia in their community get in touch with Rebecca Webster for a copy of the webinar.