Housing Association

Viewpoint housing association and local charity and training provider Tap into IT have partnered up to enhance tenants' digital skills. 

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost recently celebrated the achievements of the 400 members of the city’s older generations who have learned invaluable tech skills thanks to Tap into IT – 167 of which are Viewpoint tenants.

Councillor Frank Ross will present certificates to representatives of users and volunteers from each of the three computer clubs that have been part of the Viewpoint programme. This will take place at a birthday tea party in Viewpoint’s housing on Gillespie Crescent and will mark the first anniversary of Tap into IT registering as a charity.   He will also launch the charity’s new website.

A housing association has highlighted the positive impact that apprenticeships and traineeships have on individuals, businesses and the economy.

Hightown Housing Association says 19-year-old Levi Pierre apprentice has shown great potential and will become a role model for future learners.

Levi, who lives in Hemel Hempstead, spends four days a week at Hightown as a Property Maintenance Apprentice and one day a week studying at West Herts College for his Property Maintenance qualification.

by Victoria Galligan, Housing Association Magazine editor

Chancellor Philip Hammond’s affordable housing guarantee scheme means that housing associations can borrow up to £3billion to deliver 30,000 new affordable homes in England.

This is not additional funding, but merely the OK for HAs to borrow more money.

And it is not enough to provide the number of social rent properties which are so desperately needed.

Property owners and managers should be aware of their legal duties regarding asbestos management, and the need for locating and assessing the risks from any asbestos-containing materials in a building.

Specifically relating to managing and working with asbestos is the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012).  Regulation 5, requires employers to identify the presence of asbestos, and its type and condition, before any building, maintenance or other work, liable to disturb asbestos, begins. It also sets out the requirement to arrange an asbestos survey if existing information on the presence of asbestos in the premises is incomplete or appears unreliable.

Nothing stirs more polarising debate than a General Election. As family conversations get heated over dinner, Housing Association Magazine takes an objective look at what the election means for housing and healthy living.

I’ve decided to focus only on the two main parties for the sake of brevity but of course the Lib Dems, Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru, UKIP, the Northern Ireland parties and others all have their views on this important issues.

Now in its fifth year, Homes returns to Olympia in November with some exciting new developments.

Homes is the only large-scale housing event taking place in London to bring together local authority, housing association, housebuilder professionals, with their lead advisors, across residential development, asset management and procurement.

Hear from DCLG on Sajid Javid’s and Gavin Barwell’s priorities for the sector, just weeks after the Tory party conference.