Rent Arrears Conference
Thursday 25th April 2013
Central London
Capita Conferences
Posted 04.03.13
This is a well timed conferences, with a number of benefit changes coming into effect in April 2013 - the introduction of the bedroom tax, reform of Disability Living Allowance and the benefit cap.
This Capita conference provides an opportunity to get to grips with the impending welfare reform and discover strategies to protect and maximise rental income.
Delegats can hear up-to-date guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions on the changes and discover how the policy will support landlords and claimants.
There will also be the opportunity to learn from one of the Direct Payments Demonstration Projects how to better prepare for the introduction of Universal Credit.
Other issues covered will include:
The conference has an optional attached half day briefing - 'Legal Essentials for Rent Arrears Recovery' - Friday 26th April 2013.
CIH South East Conference and Exhibition
6th March 2013
Posted 08.03.13
Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing's South East Conference and Exhibition, Chairman of the Local Government Association Lord Best said:
"Housing associations need to make the point that the bedroom tax will weaken them and reduce their income.
"The thing that will chime with Government is that it will lessen your ability to build more homes and the Government really does believe we need to do that.
"In theory, the bedroom tax is about discouraging under occupation but if you wanted to do that you would concentrate on pensioners and they are excluded.
"It's an iniquitous tax, it's not really about ending under occupancy, it's about raising money and reducing costs to the Government.
"It's about making poorer households pay their fair share of the deficit and I think there are other people who are better placed to do that."
Andrew Parfitt, Head of Housing Policy at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), told delegates the DWP has engaged IPSOS Mori and the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research to monitor the bedroom tax when it comes into force. He said:
"I realise there are a lot of concerns about under occupancy. Ministers are going to be paying a lot of attention to its implementation and we are going to be monitoring and evaluating.
"Actually we are only applying to the social sector rules that have applied to the private rented sector since the 1990s. These measures have been operating in the private rented sector for 15 or 20 years without a lot of problems."
Completed the panel was Paul Wilding, benefits manager at Oxford City Council, which is testing how paying Housing Benefit direct to tenants will work via the Government's Direct Payment Demonstration Projects. He said:
"Rent arrears from the project are running at 5% and they are coming down over time. Having said that, 5% arrears would not be sustainable across our whole portfolio - our current level is about 2%.
"We are hearing encouraging noises from the DWP about the number of people who will be exempted however. I think they started off thinking 10% and now it is more like 25% to 30%."
