The Local Government Association has designed a best practice hub for local authorities to utilise so that they can better support their residents who are struggling with the cost of living crisis.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has strongly rebutted "claims from Shelter that landlords are not passing on the £400 energy bills rebate to tenants" saying "it is irresponsible scaremongering on the part of some to be making baseless suggestions that landlords will not do the right thing by their tenants."

The Local Government Association has calculated that during the period to 31st March 2022 there were 119,840 dependent children - equivalent to 4,500 primary school classes (based on an average class size of 26.6 pupils) living in temporary housing in England. This included children in 1,700 households "living" in B&Bs.

One landlord in Great Yarmouth was issued with a £15,000 fine and 7 other received fines of £7,500 each for selective licensing scheme breaches. Great Yarmouth council says that it is also investigating a further 36 landlords whilst 24 landlords have had their selective licences revoked.

In what Coventry council calls a "landmark case" it has obtained its first banning order against a "rogue landlord".

The housing charity Shelter has responded to the latest Govt data on homelessness in England which shows that between January and March 2022 74,230 households became homeless or were threatened with homelessness including over 25,000 families with children. This represents a 5% increase on the same period in 2021.

DLUHC has announced that Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Hull councils will get £6 million from the Govt's £20 million supported housing improvement programme to carry out enforcement of better standards in supported housing provided by the private sector for vulnerable tenants.

The headline in The Guardian is stark - "Renters 'at mercy of landlords' over £400 energy rebate" but the possibility of a cohort of private rented sector landlords being happy to make a profit out of a rebate meant to help struggling households is clearly enough for charities to raise their concerns.

The chartered institute of environmental health has expressed disappointment that "the UK government have missed yet another opportunity to prioritise energy efficiency measures as a means of supporting households with their energy bills.".

The Dept for Levelling up, Housing & Communities has published guidance for private rented sector landlords and their tenants on the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm (amendment) regulations 2022 which come into force on October 1st this year.