Research Briefing
Mortgage repossessions: tenants’ rights (England and Wales)
This House of Commons Library briefing paper summarises the options available to tenants when they discover that their landlord has defaulted on the mortgage payments.
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Research Briefing
The reform of Housing Revenue Account Subsidy
This note provides background on the old Housing Revenue Account (HRA) subsidy system and considers some of the issues associated with it up to its abolition in April 2012. This note will not be updated – information on the self-financing regime can be found in Library note SN/SP/6776 Local housing authorities - the self-financing regime: progress and issues. A further paper, CB8963, A new era of social rented housing in England? (2020) considers prospects for social rented housing following the lifting of the HRA borrowing caps in 2018.
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Research Briefing
Welfare Reform Bill: Committee Stage Report
This is an account of the House of Commons Committee Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill. It complements Research Papers 11/23 and 11/24, prepared for the Commons Second Reading debate.
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Research Briefing
Housing: construction defects
Housing: construction defects. By Wendy Wilson. SN/SP/2030. This note outlines assistance available for owners of homes that are of a defective construction type.
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Research Briefing
Localism Bill: Committee Stage Report
This paper covers the Commons Committee Stage of the Bill, and complements Research Papers 11/02 and 11/03, prepared for Second Reading. The Bill covers a wide range of topics in local government, planning, housing and the governance of London. It was not substantially amended in Committee, although there were some minor technical Government amendments. However, at several points, Ministers agreed to look again at certain issues and consider whether to introduce amendments at Report Stage.
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Research Briefing
Welfare Reform Bill: Universal Credit provisions
The Welfare Reform Bill provides for the introduction of a 'Universal Credit' to replace a range of existing means-tested benefits and tax credits for people of working age, starting from 2013. The Bill follows the November 2010 White Paper, Universal Credit: welfare that works, which set out the Government’s proposals for reforming welfare to improve work incentives, simplify the benefits system and tackle administrative complexity.
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Research Briefing
Welfare Reform Bill: reform of disability benefits, Housing Benefit, and other measures
This paper has been prepared for the Second Reading debate in the House of Commons. For information on the provision in the Bill relating to the introduction of Universal Credit, please see the complementary Library Research Paper, 11/24. Besides Universal Credit, the Bill proposes a number of other significant welfare reforms, including replacement of the current Disability Living Allowance, restriction of Housing Benefit entitlement to social housing tenants whose accommodation is larger than they need, time-limiting the payment of contributory Employment and Support Allowance to twelve months, and capping the total amount of benefit that can be claimed.
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Research Briefing
Localism Bill: Planning and Housing
This paper covers three parts of the Bill: Part 5 of the Bill will abolish regional planning, introduce a neighbourhood planning regime and abolish the Infrastructure Planning Commission. Part 6 of the Bill will make significant changes to the way in which social housing is provided and will also repeal the legislation governing the provision of Home Information Packs (HIPs). This Part includes provisions that will enable the long awaited reform of council housing finance. Part 7 of the Bill will make changes to housing and regeneration functions in London. It will abolish the London Development Agency and introduce a regime for Mayoral Development Corporations. Changes to Greater London Authority governance will allow the delegation of functions by Ministers to the Mayor.
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Research Briefing
Home Information Packs: a short history
This paper provides background information on the introduction of HIPs and a chronology of key developments during their long implementation period up to their suspension in May 2010.
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Research Briefing
Commencement of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002
This Commons Library briefing paper provides information on the commencement of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
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Research Briefing
The decent homes standard: update
This Commons Library paper outlines progress in achieving the decent homes standard in the social and private housing sectors under the Labour Governments between 2000 - 2010.
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Research Briefing
Local Democracy, Economic Development & Construction Bill [HL]: Democracy and involvement aspects (Bill 93 of 2008-09).
This paper covers parts 1 to 3 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]. The Bill implements a number of community empowerment measures outlined in the white paper - Communities in Control: real people, real power (Cm 7427). Other provisions concern a) tenants' representation, b) audit of entities connected with local authorities, and c) replacement of the Boundary Committee for England with an independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England. See also Library Research Paper 09/46, for coverage of parts 4 to 8 of the Bill which relate to economic and regional matters and construction contracts.
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Research Briefing
Succession rights and privately rented housing
This note explains the rights of certain residents to succeed to a private tenancy on the death of the tenant.
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Research Briefing
2008 Housing and Regeneration Act – key amendments
A brief guide to the key amendments made during the Act's progress through parliament.
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Research Briefing
Intentionally homeless families with children
Intentionally homeless families with children. By Wendy Wilson. SN/SP/3149. An explanation of authorities' duties towards families deemed to be intentionally homeless.
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