Housing News Digest
The Tenants' Union Housing News Digest compiles our pick of items from all the latest tenancy and housing media, sent once per week, on Thursdays.
Below is the Digest archive from November 2020 onwards. From time to time you will find additional items in the archive that did not make it into the weekly Digest email. Earlier archives are here, where you can also find additional digests by other organisations.
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Archive
Children in temporary accommodation in London ‘suffering appalling abuses of their rights’, research finds
Lucie Heath Inside Housing (Paywall)The human rights of children living in temporary accommodation in London are being violated as a result of “persistent policy failures by central and local government”, research has found. A report published today by Human Rights Watch and the Childhood Trust argued that the UK is failing in its duty to ensure the right to adequate housing for homeless families. Based on interviews with 75 people, including 33 who are currently living in or had recently left temporary accommodation, the report found families living in conditions including toxic mould, cold temperatures, and a lack of adequate space.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/children-in-temporary-…
# International, Families, Homelessness, Local Government, Mould.Queensland unit dwellers could be barred from smoking on balconies after landmark decision
Rebecca Levingston and Antonia O'Flaherty ABC (No paywall)Queenslanders living in apartments could be prevented from smoking on their balconies after a "game changing" decision to ban one unit owner from doing so after a complaint from an upstairs neighbour. A unit owner at the Artique Resort in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast complained that their downstairs neighbour, on the eighth floor, was a "chain smoker". The ninth-floor owner claimed the eighth-floor neighbour spends about five minutes smoking and could do so about every 20 to 40 minutes, labelling the smoke "relentless and unbearable", causing her to be concerned about her health. ... The Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management's adjudicator ordered that the eighth-floor owner must no longer smoke tobacco products on the balcony. Furthermore, it was ruled she can only smoke elsewhere within her apartment if she takes reasonable steps to ensure the smoke does not affect any person in another apartment.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-19/gold-coast-unit-owner-ban…
# Australia, Strata, Neighbours.Government launches review of social housing staff training to improve tenant treatment
Jack Simpson Inside Housing (Paywall)From the United Kingdom ... The government will launch a new wholesale review of training and qualifications for those working in social housing in a bid to drive up standards and ensure landlords are equipped to deal with tenant complaints. Eddie Hughes, minister for homelessness and rough sleeping, today announced the Social Housing Professionalisation Review, which will explore the qualifications currently available for staff, and consider whether any additional training is needed to improve services to residents. The review will make up a crucial part of the reforms to social housing that will be brought forward in the Social Housing Regulation Bill. The bill, which is expected in March, will bring forward many of the proposals set out in the Social Housing White Paper, published in November 2020.
https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/government-launches-re…
# International, Public and community housing.Northern Territory introduces building legislation reforms, with 'complex' projects requiring independent approval
Melissa Mackay ABC (No paywall)Three years after nine Top End buildings were found to be structurally non-compliant, the Northern Territory government has introduced reforms to avoid a similar building bungle happening again. From January 31, designs of all projects categorised as "complex" will be required to be reviewed by an independent third party before building permits can be issued.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-19/nt-government-introduces-…
# Australia, Strata, Housing market, Minimum habitability standards.Tree changers push up NSW land value by $400 billion
The New Daily (No paywall)“Ski changers” and “tree changers” are being blamed for pushing the price of land in New South Wales to a record-high peak. Land in the state was valued at $2.2 trillion in the 12 months to July 2021, up from $1.8 trillion – an uptick of 24.8 per cent. The biggest growth was recorded in the Hunter Valley coast, where overall values were up 38.1 per cent. The rise in land prices was due to buyers looking for affordability and “preferred lifestyle options”, NSW Valuer General David Parker said. Also, check out the article by Sofie Wainwright and Bindi Bryce entitled: 'Land value soars in Hunter Central Coast region as property market continues to boil' at: [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-19/land-values-soaring-in-regional-nsw/100767354]
https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/property/2022/01/18/tree-chan…
# NSW, Coronavirus COVID-19, Housing market, Regional NSW.Four-bedroom house offered free, with just one catch
Elizabeth Redman Domain (No paywall)It’s the home that’s free to a good home: A four-bedroom Sydney house available for free, with one catch. Only the house itself is on offer, not the land, and the new owner must arrange to remove it and transport it somewhere else.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/four-bedroom-house-offered-…
# NSW, Housing market.How do you make a $270,000 profit? Sell your property during lockdown
Elizabeth Redman Domain (No paywall)Property sellers who sold at a profit made paper gains of $270,000 on average last winter, as housing prices soared in spite of lockdown, new figures show.
https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/how-do-you-make-a-270-000-p…
# Australia, Housing market.Bye bye borders, hello buyers as visitors to Queensland purchase homes
Toby Crockford The Sydney Morning Herald (Paywall)Victorian and NSW residents sick of lengthy lockdowns rented Queensland accommodation in their droves, and now many have chosen to buy homes in the Sunshine State.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/bye-bye-borders-hello-buyers-as-…
# Australia, Rent, Coronavirus COVID-19, Home ownership.