DCH is opposed to the new Government housing strategy, an all-out assault on council housing. It proposes continued underfunding of council housing, combined with fixed-term tenancies, subsidies for more stock transfers, and increased sale of council homes through Right to Buy, to be replaced with up to 80 per cent market rents.
04 December 2011
Pass motions - Stop huge rent rises
The £30 bn debt settlement and inflation-busting rent formula Government are imposing on Councils, are driving huge rent rises. Tenants, trade unions and councillors rejecting the rent rises, are calling for:
* re-opening of negotiation on the debt settlement
* changes to the rent rise formula
* joint deputations to demand promised £7 bn capital funding backlog
If Government can continue to write off Housing HRA debt for stock transfer, we should insist on a similar write-off of debt which has been paid many times over in rent and receipts siphoned off by government
Organise a Public meeting Meetings around the country will challenge rent rises and government attacks on tenancies, rents and benefits: LONDON with Ken Loach director Cathy come Home; Owen Jones author Chavs ; Stephen Battesby Pro-Housing Alliance; Austin Mitchell MP chair Council Housing Group; trade unions, councillors,and tenants. 21 Feb 6.30 House of Commons committee room 14 LEEDS 24 Feb details to follow CAMBRIDGE 16 March 7pm Arbury Community Centre, Campkin Rd HARLOW 29 March details to follow. Others to follow - organise a meeting in your area. Contact info@defendcouncilhousing.org.uk for speakers, leaflets and publicity.
Campaign newspaper
Bulk order copies of the new DCH national newspaper (Sept 2011) - includes how to defend secure tenancies; Reform of Council Housing finance; Case against transfer; update on ALMOs; Housing Emergency campaign.
Download more...
Get Your MP To Sign EDM 1389
Ask your MP to sign NEW Early Day Motion 1389 in Parliament (see list of MPs signing old EDM 368 ).
Email your MP and ask union and tenant groups to lobby their MPs too.
Download more...
Lobby Councils on Secure Tenancies and Rents
Get your council to join those who have already pledged not to use new powers to create short-term tenancies, and to oppose up to 80% market rents and benefit cuts, by adopting this Housing Emergency statement.
Download more...
Affiliate and Donate
Unlike local authorities we can't dip into the Housing Revenue Account and use tenants rents to campaign. DCH relies on affiliation fees, donations and sale of publications to get the arguments across. Raise support in your tenants association, union branch, Trades Council and political party.
Download more...
Anger at huge council rent rises is growing. Tenants and councils are rejecting proposed 8 to ten per cent rises for 2012-13. Cambridge Council is demanding Government action as in 2009, to cut the formula increase: see Cambridge letter. Camden tenants rejected a £10 average weekly rise in rent, heating and other charges. See report here. Harlow tenants opposed the inflation-busting rise at a consultation meeting this week.
13 Jan 2012
Warning on self-financing risks
A former Finance director is warning Councils of serious risks from self-financing. Adrian Waite warns in Inside Housing: 'a combination of ignoring liabilities in calculating the valuation of council housing, increases in debt associated with self-financing and a lack of funding for decent homes' could mean a collapse in Council's self-financing systems.
Download for more.
13 Jan 2012
Criminalising sub-letting is ridiculous
Many tenants have lodgers or sub-let and are entitled to. There is already a system to deal with abuses. Criminalising in this way is about stigmatising, not protecting, council housing. Many of the worst rip-off private landlords buy up homes sold under Right to Buy. Yet Government want to put more subsidies into higher discounts for sales, and more debt write-off for privatisation. This is a distraction from the real issue: no new homes at genuinely-affordable rent being built, with five million on waiting lists and growing homelessness. We need investment to improve and build new council housing,
11 Jan 2012
Tenants vote 72% NO to privatisation
Swindon council tenants have rejected transfer of their 10,500 homes to a Housing Association, with
MORE >>
04 Jan 2012
BBC debunks Affordable Housing statistics
Affordable Housing statistics are exposed as ill defined, unaffordable and not even new
MORE >>
10 Dec 2011
Protest at parliament at new Localism Act
Protesters will challenge attacks on tenancies, rents and benefits
MORE >>
15 Nov 2011
Labour conference rejects attacks on tenants
Labour's conference unanimously agreed: 'that defending the rights of social tenants and the deliv
MORE >>
29 Sep 2011
Councils reject tenancy attacks
Growing numbers of Councils reject fixed-term tenancies. Nearly half of Councils are opposed
MORE >>
06 May 2011
Council Housing Reforms Must Guarantee Funding
The long-delayed detailed proposals put some new money on the table BUT
MORE >>
28 Mar 2010
Conference launches Manifesto for Council Housing
250 delegates from 59 areas at the biggest and broadest DCH conference so far
MORE >>
19 Mar 2010
Tenants Vote NO To Partial Transfer
Tenants on the Ferguslie estate in Renfrewshire, Scotland, have voted NO to privatisation.
MORE >>
17 Nov 2009
Campaigners vow to continue work of DCH
The first national meeting since the sad death of Alan Walter agreed to step up the work of DCH
MORE >>
09 May 2009
Brown orders thousands of new council houses
DCH welcomes Brown's commitment to council housing
MORE >>
DCH is opposed to the new Government housing strategy, an all-out assault on council housing. It proposes continued underfunding of council housing, combined with fixed-term tenancies, subsidies for more stock transfers, and increased sale of council homes through Right to Buy, to be replaced with up to 80 per cent market rents. 
