I was going to do the usual roundup of the year post, but frankly, it was all too depressing. You all know what has happened, hasn’t happened and ought to have happened. About that best that can be said is that the awful bits of the Housing And Planning Act 2016 were not brought into force (yet), while some good bits of it were.
Thank you all for reading – over half a million visits in 2017 and 5,280 people subscribed to the email updates – and we’ll keep on keeping on. As well as cases, next year will bring the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 into effect, potential fee bans for private tenants, likely leasehold reform, and maybe more.
Not forgetting, of course, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill. Second reading is on 19 January 2018 and the Bill will be published before then, possibly with other news. My previous post on the Bill is here. There have been some changes to the detail, but the basic operation will be the same. In the meantime, 100 MPs are needed to ensure it not being talking out at second reading. Gen Rent have a handy way to send your MP an email, asking them to attend on 19 January and support the Bill. Please do.