Council makes headway with housing problems

BOSSES say progress is being made to tackle major problems in Newcastle's council homes, 12 months on from a shake-up.

- DANIEL HOLLAND

It is now a year since Newcastle City Council abolished management organisation Your Homes Newcastle and took back direct control over around 25,000 local authority owned properties on Tyneside.

Regulators have since found “serious failings” in that housing stock, including fire safety hazards and hundreds of overdue repairs for complaints including damp and mould, and ordered local officials to make improvements.

The council confirmed on Tuesday that, as of the end of the 2024/25 financial year, it still had 2,734 properties classified as non-decent - 11.08% of its total - although that has improved from 14.78% a year ago.