Daily News: 23/09/2025
The Housing Ombudsman’s 2024-25 review shows rising complaints but some landlord improvements. 71% of complaints were upheld, 120 landlords had high maladministration, and 16 improved. Over 2,000 findings of redress were issued despite a 43% rise in repair complaints. Housing Ombudsman Service
Onward Homes has boosted its surplus by 14.6% and increased turnover despite pressure from rising repair costs. Housing Today (register)
Clarion Housing Group has received £26m from Homes England’s £2bn Bridge Funding Programme to accelerate over 20,000 new social homes, supporting the government’s target of 1.5m homes amid 1.3m families on the waiting list. Housing Executive
Haringey Council has approved plans to acquire or build 100 new council homes in Highgate and Tottenham. Meanwhile, Leeds is facing a sharp rise in temporary accommodation demand, with 439 families in emergency housing at the end of July, up from just eight in March 2022 and 148 in March 2024. Tottenham Independent, BBC
Ahead of the budget, London boroughs warned the council the housing crisis could slash £269m from services over four years and urged a £3 rent convergence to protect homes and fund new social housing. London Councils
Fusion21 has confirmed the consultant winners for its £175m national Construction Consultancy Services Framework, which will run over four years. Construction Enquirer
Hightown Housing Association will redevelop the Telford Court site in St Albans, replacing the ageing tower block with new homes to maximise social housing. St Albans City Council
Henry Boot has sold its contracting arm in a £4m management buyout to focus on core activities, while Midlands builder Benniman, with profits steady at over £8m despite a slow industrial market, aims to grow turnover as conditions improve. Construction Enquirer, Construction Enquirer
The government has announced strengthened water efficiency standards aimed at reducing household bills and supporting new housebuilding by easing water supply constraints. GOV.UK
A wave of housing schemes has moved forward across the UK. In Bradford, the 1,000-home City Village project has secured a £14.4m funding boost from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, adding to £30m from Homes England. Housing Today (register)
In Brighton, controversial plans for nearly 500 homes on a former gasworks have been approved at appeal, while a judge has upheld approval for a 10,000-home new town in East Herts led by Places for People and Taylor Wimpey, including over 2,500 affordable homes. In Stockport, proposals have been submitted for a 395-home ‘garden neighbourhood’ on green belt land, with half classed as affordable. Elsewhere, a 190-home scheme in Whitchurch has drawn strong local opposition, and Bargate has lodged plans for up to 180 homes on Winchester’s outskirts. The Argus, Housing Today (register), Manchester Evening News, Whitchurch Herald, and Show House