Our Newsround is here again, let’s see what has been in the housing news this week.

Warning on E-bike battery charging

Landlords are being warned about the potentially catastrophic damage that canbe caused by the charging of electric bikes e-batteries. These faulty batteries can explode in a matter of seconds and now cause one of the biggest threats to properties. Often these batteries are sold cheaply online.

There are now more than one million e-scooters in use in the UK. But now a housing association in Manchester has launched a fire safety campaign after a tenth floor flat was damaged by a charging e-bike battery which exploded in a bedroom.

No one was injured, but the outcome could have been far worse. The fire brigade has seen a rise in e-bike related fires. Billy Fenwick head of prevention for Greater Manchester said:

We are urging everyone with an electric bike to please be responsible and follow our safety guidance. Batteries can be a fire risk if they’re over-charged, short-circuited, or damaged, so it’s important to protect them against being damaged and to charge them safely. It’s also really important that when buying an electric bike, to purchase them – as well as the batteries and chargers – from a reputable seller.

Landlords need to check to make sure this would be covered under their insurance policy.

Almshouse living proves beneficial

There are 30,000 charitable, low-cost community almshouses in the UK, which is the oldest form of social housing, and it seems living in one of these can prolong your life by as much as two and half years. This could mean an extra 15% of future life.

Ben Rickayzen who has carried out the almshouse study, says

Almshouses seem to wipe away the negative impacts on health and social wellbeing commonly experienced by older people in lower socioeconomic groups, particularly those living in isolation.

Residents who are lucky enough to live in one of these pay rent under a maintenance contribution which is often less than the average rent locally. He goes on to say

It is well known that the lower a person’s socioeconomic status, the lower their life expectancy. But our research has found that this doesn’t have to be the case. We found that residents can expect to live as long as wealthier members of the general population despite coming from the most deprived quintile.

It is hoped that these findings could be replicated across all sections of society where they are experiencing a housing crisis.

Sadiq Khan wants to take over empty homes

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is asking for the power to impose higher taxes on empty homes and to go one step further to seize them. He claims that the current level of council tax is not enough to stop owners from leaving them empty. He wants to set the level of council tax according to what each individual council chooses, in order to make it a constructive deterrent. He is also calling for the ability to use ’empty dwelling management orders’, which have not been used in recent years.

There are an estimated 30,000 houses empty across London, with the majority in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where 1,600 are lying empty. He says

We are also urging ministers to make it easier to allow the temporary take-over of empty homes using Empty Dwelling Management Orders, which have been restricted in recent years.

Ministers should start by making it easier for councils to bring long-term empty homes back into use so we can continue building a fairer and more prosperous London for everyone.

Decent Homes Standard dropped from Renters Reform Bill

Environmental health organisations are querying why the government failed to include a Decent Homes Standard in the Renters Reform Bill. The government have responded saying that they ‘remained committed to legislating on the Decent Homes Standard and would do so as soon as possible’.

These standards only apply to social housing at the moment and state that homes must be clear of serious health and safety hazards.

Stuart Fairlie, MD of the energy assessor accreditation scheme, said

Private landlords are understandably concerned about the property improvement-related regulatory changes coming their way, but most of these fears are not based on fact. It is the lack of clarity around what these [EPC] laws mean that is fuelling their fears about whether they can afford to remain in the private rental sector.

No doubt, this will be highlighted further over the coming months.

Snippets

Airbnb clampdown – Labour MP steps up campaign against short lets
‘Fixed term tenancies MUST be preserved within reform bill for students lets’
Ombudsman for Private Landlords – “there’s nothing to fear”
LISTEN IN: The Renters (Reform) Bill – what do the experts think?
Property management firms that rip off leaseholders could be banned under labour
Eco-activist wants Renters Reform Bill to be tougher on landlords
Labour promises to ‘go further’ on short lets clampdown
Tenants open to rent rises if landlord relationship is positive
Rental homes must be ‘reserved for locals’ in Airbnb hotspots, says Tory MP
Capital Gains Tax warning for landlords quitting sector

Newsround will be back next week.

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