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HPCS CONFERENCE 1998

4th ANNUAL CONFERENCE SET TO BE THE BIGGEST AND BEST YET

HPCS have confirmed the dates for their national conference for 1998. The event will be held at Warwick University from Monday 6 - Wednesday 8 July under the title of "Using the Private Rented Sector....Working in Partnership". The conference will include the usual popular mix of main plenary sessions, workshops and seminars enabling practitioners to share experiences and address problems and issues they face in their day to day work. New for ‘98 will be a "Question Time" session enabling you to put your thoughts and questions to leading figures in this area of activity.

HPCS Consultants are currently finalising the programme, some of the key note speakers already confirmed include:

David Cowans - Chief Executive of the North British Housing Association.

Anna Bowman - Chief Executive of West Hampstead Housing Association

Cllr Paul Jenks - Chair of Housing at Southampton City Council and Chair of the Local Government Association’s Committee

Marianne Hood - Chair Labour Housing Group

Other speakers to be confirmed will be covering the view of the private sector practitioners, legal and maintenance issues as well as examples of schemes that have worked and some that may have not been so successful.

The excellent facilities at Warwick will provide delegates with plenty of opportunity to relax after the days session. The 48 hour residential conference includes full conference pack, standard study bedroom accommodation, full board and evening entertainment.

We are finalising the programme which will be printed in mid March, but there is still the opportunity to organise workshops or session on specific subjects. If there is an issue you wish to see covered please contact HPCS Consultants before 16 March 1998 and if possible we will try and accommodate as many requests as we can.

The cost of the event will be£255 + VAT residential
£200 + VAT non-residential
£75 + VAT day delegate

For further details and to reserve a place contact Pushpa Singh by telephone: 0181-621 9837 or E-mail: derrick.williams@efha.org.uk


HPCS BRIEFING PAPER -
The 1996 Housing Act & Statutory Updates (1997)

To order your copy call Pushpa Singh on 0181-621-9837 or e-mail derrick.williams@efha.org.uk

An essential briefing paper for all practitioners working in the private rented sector is available now from HPCS Consultants. Priced at £5 the paper sets out the main changes pertinent to this area of work and highlights some of the implications for existing and future schemes.


HPCS IN-HOUSE TRAINING

Full or half day in-house training can be organised to meet your specific needs. Principal Consultants can provide training on a broad range of topics concerning temporary accommodation and the use of the private rented sector. Full day Topics include:

  • "Setting up a scheme: From first principles to finance" - A broad based overview of the initiative.

  • "Managing the tenants and managing the landlords" - An examination of the specific problems of managing stock you do not own and did not build.

  • "Procurement in practice" - Where to find the properties in the first place.

  • "Options for change" - Ways of dealing with a changing scheme.

In-house sessions work best in groups of up to 15 people enabling participants the maximum opportunity to discuss ideas and opinions. HPCS Consultants offer courses at £450 per day + VAT. For further details or to discuss your organisations individual needs please phone us on HPCS Telephone Adviceline 0181-840-8779


SHARING GOOD PRACTICES... AND BAD EXAMPLES

HPCS are pleased to confirm that the Briefing Note will be a regular publication over the coming years thanks to the continued sponsorship from the Housing Corporation. Multiple copies of this newsletter are sent free of charge to every local authority in England as well as every RSL active in this field along with leading players in the private sector, solicitors, finance companies and the Housing Corporation. We are looking for your stories - your successes, your developments and also your bad experiences. In this rapidly changing field none of us can afford to re-invent the wheel. Send details to Debbie Wood at the address overleaf or contact Ashley Horsey on the Adviceline 0181-840-8779.


THE TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION ADVISORY PANEL (TAAP)

TAAP is a forum for all the RSLs in England and Wales who provide housing on a short term basis for any client group. The meetings, which take place 3 times a year, are held at the National Housing Federation offices in London. TAAP provides a link between RSLs active in this field and the NHF and feeds in on policy discussions as well as consultations on new legislation and regulations. The group is looking to widen its active membership, in particular RSLs from outside London would be welcomed. HPCS Consultants will be working closely with TAAP to ensure issues of importance and interest to practitioners are widely publicised. If you wish to receive details of meetings please contact Anne Lafferty at the NHF on 0171-278-6571.


QUESTIONNAIRE

Enclosed with the paper edition of the Briefing Note is a questionnaire jointly complied between HPCS and TAAP. It is clear that at present there is no national database of social housing activity using the rented sector. We are looking to establish just such a database. Please take a few minutes to complete the form and make sure we know about your schemes. Completed forms can be sent to HPCS at our address overleaf. If you have not received a copy of the questionnaire please contact us on 0181-621 9837 or e-mail derrick.williams@efha.org.uk.

News and Information - Things You Need To Know!
THE FAMILY LAW ACT 1996

These orders can be indefinite where the applicants are entitled to occupy. However, it would be for a limited amount of time for those not entitled and therefore not a permanent housing solution unless they also applied for the tenancy to be transferred as set out below.

These provisions will assist victims of violence.

This act came into force at the end of 1997 and includes the following housing-related provisions

  • Occupation orders ie. courts have the means to decide the occupation of a home when a relationship has broken down.

  • Transfers of tenancy

OCCUPATION ORDERS

These can be made by the court:

  • to permit the applicant to enter and occupy or to prevent eviction

  • to regulate either or both parties’ occupation or to exclude the respondent from the dwelling or surrounding area.

Where applicants themselves are entitles to occupy they may only make applications against their spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant.

TRANSFER OF TENANCY

Schedule 7 provides for the transfer of tenancies on divorce or separation of cohabitants. Cohabitants, former cohabitants, spouses and former spouses can apply for orders. However, the court must have regard to all the circumstances of the case including the suitability of pasties as tenants and the nature of the parties relationship (including the fact that they have not made the commitment to marriage!). So we will have to wait and see how judges interpret this.

In order to prevent a partner terminating the tenancy by NTQ before the transfer an injunction can be sought by the other party.


HOUSING CORPORATION SOCIAL HOUSING STANDARDS

Practitioners are advised to keep an eye out for the new Social Housing Standards document produced by the Housing Corporation. This detailed and wide ranging document includes performance standards and expectations for RSLs using Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs). The performance standards cover such issues as rights to consultation on changes in management structures, details of how rents can/will be increased. RSLs need to ensure they are aware of these standards when developing new or amending existing schemes.


INTRODUCING PARAGON MORTGAGES

In what is hoped will be a regular feature, the Briefing Note will bring you details of goods and services that may be of use and interest to practitioners working with and advising private sector landlords

If you wish to advertise in this space, please contact HPCS.

Paragon mortgages are a niche mortgage lender who specialises in arranging mortgages on investment properties. Unlike most other lenders, they accept properties which are rented out to housing associations and local authorities.

Paragon lend up to 75% of the value of the investment property at highly attractive variable and fixed rates. They can assist with both the purchase and the remortgage* of an investment property. (*Capital raising for any purpose accepted).

Paragon lend to the first time landlord, the seasoned professional and limited companies. In some circumstances they will lend to ex-pats and non UK nationals

Paragon charge no upfront fees on this product and offer the services of a local regional sales manager who can assist you in the marketing of this facility to both new and existing landlords in your area.

Paragon really have removed the hurdles and limitations on lending on properties we need. Please contact their sales and marketing department on Freephone 0800 440099 and ask to be put in touch with their local regional sales manager.



GLOSSARY OF TERMS: PART II

Some more of the main acronyms and pieces of jargon that frequently appear when dealing with the private rented sector (PRS). We hope you find this useful.

INITIALS

NAME

MEANING

HB

HOUSING BENEFIT

Support for housing costs available for those on low income.

PTD

PRE TENANCY DETERMINATION

Assessment of likely maximum rent for housing benefit purposes - given by the Rent Officer service before a tenant finally commits to taking on a tenancy.

LRR

LOCAL REFERENCE RENT

Rent Officer assessment of the average cost of a private sector rent for a particular type and size of property in the area

DGS

DEPOSIT GUARANTEE SCHEME

Generic term to describe access schemes that give landlords a written bond in lieu of cash deposit to enable clients to access private sector accommodation that might otherwise not be available to them.

NRDF

NATIONAL RENT DEPOSIT FORUM

Support and information network of voluntary bodies and other organisations operating Deposit Guarantee and similar access schemes across the country.

HC

HOUSING CORPORATION

the regulatory, monitoring and funding body for registered social landlords in England.

RPI

RETAIL PRICES INDEX

Government calculated measure of inflation.

EPO

EMPTY PROPERTY OFFICER

Job title given to local authority officer who specialises in tackling empty property.

CPO

COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER

Legal action that can be taken by a local authority in tackling persistent empty property and dangerous structures etc.

SHG

SOCIAL HOUSING GRANT

Generic term to central and local government grant funding to registered social landlords.

CML

COUNCIL OF MORTGAGE LENDERS

Overseeing body for building societies and banks involved in lending money on property.

LOTS

LIVING OVER THE SHOP

Scheme specifically designed to make use of redundant and empty residential areas above commercial premises. N.B. many other variants such as FLOTS - flats over shops and SHOS - Social housing over shops.

NICEIC

NATIONAL INSPECTION COUNCIL FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONTRACTING

National regulatory and registration body for electrical engineers and contractors.

CORGI

THE COUNCIL FOR REGISTERED GAS INSTALLERS

National regulatory and registration body for gas engineers and contractors


HPCS CONSULTANTS ARE:
  • Ealing Family Housing Association
  • Northern Counties Housing Association
  • Oxford Citizens Housing Associations (Oxford Social Lettings Agency)

We can be contacted at:

St James’ House - 105-113 The Broadway - West Ealing - London - W13 9BE

Tel: 0181-621 9837 or E-Mail: derrick.williams@efha.org.uk

TELEPHONE ADVICELINE: 0181-840-8779
HPCS Consultants acknowledges support from the Housing Corporation