Last night the housing minister Grantt Shapps announced that social housing providers are going to be given the power to choose whether their new tenants have a lifetime tenancy, or whether this will be time-limited.
http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/housing-management/providers-to-choose-type-of-tenancy/6511720.article
Details seem a bit vague at the moment, but it is clear that there could be wide variations, even between neighbouring councils or housing associations. Is this a workable option? I can forsee many potential problems arising here, which could centre around the political control of local authorities. Is it right that this decision should be 'localised' in this way? Has Shapps abdicated his responsibility for setting national housing policy, so as to deflect any blame away from government? Is it a crumb of comfort for the Lib Dems? (who incidentally, chose to ignore Simon Hughes' call for a confernce debate on the issue).
Clearly an issue that will be hotly debated in the housing press - and on this blog - in coming months.
David Wardle
www.learning4housing.co.uk
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