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| Oxford City Council breaks homeless housing law | Oxford City Council breaks homeless housing law |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Oxford City Council has broken a law against housing homeless families in B&Bs for more than six weeks. | Oxford City Council has broken a law against housing homeless families in B&Bs for more than six weeks. |
| The local authority said this was due to an "unexpectedly high number" of homeless families in September and high rents charged by private landlords. | The local authority said this was due to an "unexpectedly high number" of homeless families in September and high rents charged by private landlords. |
| It is the first time it has broken the rule - imposed under government legislation - since 2004. | It is the first time it has broken the rule - imposed under government legislation - since 2004. |
| Council housing boss Mike Rowley said it was "doing everything in its power" to tackle the city's housing shortage. | Council housing boss Mike Rowley said it was "doing everything in its power" to tackle the city's housing shortage. |
| Updates on this story and more from Oxfordshire | |
| Since April, the authority has recorded 128 homeless families, compared to 107 for all of last year. | Since April, the authority has recorded 128 homeless families, compared to 107 for all of last year. |
| A council report said it was now "almost impossible" to find properties in the privately-rented sector affordable at housing benefit levels. | A council report said it was now "almost impossible" to find properties in the privately-rented sector affordable at housing benefit levels. |
| 'Devastating impact' | 'Devastating impact' |
| It added this was "leading to many private landlords ending tenancies of people who can no longer afford their rent". | It added this was "leading to many private landlords ending tenancies of people who can no longer afford their rent". |
| Mr Rowley said the local authority spends more than £1.4m annually on homelessness services. | Mr Rowley said the local authority spends more than £1.4m annually on homelessness services. |
| But he added that Oxford is now the most expensive place to live in the country, which was having a "devastating impact" on all areas of the city, and was only likely to get worse. | But he added that Oxford is now the most expensive place to live in the country, which was having a "devastating impact" on all areas of the city, and was only likely to get worse. |
| He said the city had also "run out of space", with as many as 32,000 new houses needed by 2031, but only space for about 10,000. | He said the city had also "run out of space", with as many as 32,000 new houses needed by 2031, but only space for about 10,000. |
| House building in the city is being scaled back because of government cuts to council budgets, as well as proposals to sell rented council housing, Mr Rowley added. | House building in the city is being scaled back because of government cuts to council budgets, as well as proposals to sell rented council housing, Mr Rowley added. |
| Gavin Dick, from the National Landlords' Association, blamed the increase in homelessness on council policies, such as one preventing investors from converting properties into shared housing. | Gavin Dick, from the National Landlords' Association, blamed the increase in homelessness on council policies, such as one preventing investors from converting properties into shared housing. |
| He also said licence charges imposed on landlords who rent out shared homes were being passed on to tenants. | He also said licence charges imposed on landlords who rent out shared homes were being passed on to tenants. |
| A spokeswoman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said the long-term use of B&Bs to house homeless families was "both unacceptable and unlawful". | |
| Since 2010 the government has provided more than £1bn to tackle homelessness and support vulnerable households, she added. |