Daily News: 24/04/2025
The Housing Ombudsman’s April 2025 report highlights severe maladministration in handling damp and mould, citing delays, unsafe conditions, and poor communication. It links these issues to broader cultural problems and names landlords like Estuary, Islington, Lambeth, L&Q, Notting Hill Genesis, Redbridge, and West Northamptonshire. Housing Ombudsman Service
Prosperity Vita, a for-profit housing provider owned by Birmingham-based Prosperity Group, has completed registration with the Regulator of Social Housing and now appears on the latest list of registered providers. GOV.UK
London boroughs face a combined £330m homelessness overspend, with London councils warning the housing crisis could push local authorities toward bankruptcy. New data reveals the housing crisis is severely affecting children, as social workers report the toll of living in cold, damp homes during winter. In Glasgow, families needing three or more-bedroom social rented homes could face housing list waits of over 100 years. Social Workers Union, London Councils, and Glasgow Times
Glasgow’s Calvay Housing Association has secured £2.77m in funding, including support from CAF Bank and the Scottish Government, for a green retrofit of 267 homes to reduce residents’ energy bills. Housing Digital
Equans has secured a three-year extension to its contract with Together Housing, continuing renovation work on hundreds of homes across Yorkshire. Meanwhile, the North East Procurement Organisation has begun early engagement for a planned £270m, eight-year construction materials framework. Facilitate Magazine, Construction News (register)
Sir Robert McAlpine has returned to profitability, reporting a £10.4m pre-tax profit for the year ending October 2024, after a £105m loss the previous year. In contrast, Severfield, the UK’s largest steelwork contractor, plans a 6% workforce reduction due to rising cost pressures on tender prices. Construction Enquirer, Construction Enquirer
Tim Galloway, deputy head of the Building Safety Regulator, acknowledged underestimating the challenges of the new regime, with 75% of ‘gateway 2’ applications being rejected due to missing or flawed information. Housing Today (register)
A recent study by rental specialists uncle revealed that over half of UK homes have an EPC rating of D or lower, highlighting the challenges in retrofitting the housing stock. The latest statistics show that HUG 2 has installed around 15,000 measures in 8,400 households by February 2025. Additionally, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund has installed 65,300 measures in 33,200 households across various scheme waves. Furthermore, by March 2025, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme received 76,291 voucher applications, with 97% allocated for air-source heat pump installations. Show House, GOV.UK, GOV.UK, and GOV.UK
Peabody and Mount Anvil have gained approval for the third phase of their Friary Park project in Acton, adding 693 homes. Somerset Council approved 162 homes in Castle Cary with 35% affordable housing. In Barrow, the 800-home Marina Village aims to address housing needs. Get Living revised its Elephant & Castle plans to 507 homes, including 165 affordable. Castle Green proposes 340 homes in Warrington, with 102 affordable, and Wain Estates has unveiled plans for 275 homes on green belt land in Bury. Housing Digital, Somerset Leveller, Business Live, The Construction Index, Place North West, and Business Live