Posted 27.06.17
Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH): Article link
A dramatic rise in private rents compared to earnings revealed in new analysis by the Chartered Institute of Housing is putting housing out of reach for many people, the organisation has said.
The research shows that across England rents grew an average of 14.6% from May 2011 to May 2017, while wages are projected to have increased 10% over the same period.
In London the picture is much more severe where rents increased 22% over the period, nearly four times faster than the projected increase in average earnings of just 6%.
In the South East rents increased 15% compared to a projected 7% increase in average earnings. In other regions in England rents went up in line with earnings or slower than earnings.
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Posted 07.06.17
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH): Article link
Larger agents found flouting the ban on letting agent fees should receive fines up to £30,000 to ensure greater levels of compliance with the new laws, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has said.
In response to the Government's consultation on banning letting agents' fees to tenants, CIEH has strongly welcomed a complete ban on all letting agents fees as it would remove some of the barriers tenants face in moving out of a poor quality home, while ensuring standards can improve in the private rented sector.
CIEH represents environmental health professionals, the workforce that carries out inspections in the private rented sector.
The membership body has also recommended that holding deposits should not be exempt from the ban as they might allow for loopholes to exploit tenants, such as agents hanging onto more than one tenant's holding deposit for the same property.
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Updated 30.06.17
