The Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission met on Wednesday 21 January 2026 to discuss issues surrounding joint social tenancies and domestic abuse, and to review the council's housing strategy. The commission also considered its work programme and action tracker.

Joint Social Tenancies and Domestic Abuse

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to exploring the challenges faced by victims and survivors of domestic abuse who share a joint social tenancy with their abuser. The report pack highlighted that perpetrators often use joint tenancy rights as a tool for coercive control, with the ability to unilaterally end the tenancy, leaving the survivor at risk of homelessness. Survivors may also be reluctant to end the tenancy due to fears about future housing options, including the possibility of being rehoused in less secure accommodation or in a less desirable location.

The discussion was informed by presentations from various services, including Housing Services, the Domestic Abuse Intervention Service (DAIS), Benefits & Homelessness Prevention, Early Help & Prevention, Shelter, Refuge, and Islington Council. It was noted that Hackney Council's Domestic Abuse and Housing Policy allows for action against perpetrators and may offer victims a new sole tenancy. The updated Tenancy Management Policy, revised in September 2025, outlines that a discretionary new sole tenancy may be offered based on individual circumstances, provided there are no outstanding breaches or rent arrears.

The report pack also detailed the limitations of current legal remedies, such as Occupation Orders and Non-Molestation Orders, which can be costly and do not guarantee a resolution. Permanent legal remedies, like divorce and financial remedy orders, can take years and incur significant expenses. The report highlighted the UK Government's statutory guidance, updated in July 2025, which advises social landlords to consider evicting perpetrators and allowing victims to remain in their homes with new tenancy agreements.

An inter-borough working group, coordinated by Hackney Council since May 2024, has been established to address common issues faced by local authorities dealing with joint tenancies and domestic abuse. This group aims to promote best practice and a consistent approach across London boroughs. Key issues identified by the group include survivors' reluctance to relinquish joint tenancies due to fear of losing their social housing, difficulties in reaching agreements with other local authorities for rehousing, perpetrators not relinquishing joint tenancies due to a lack of incentives, and challenges in obtaining evidence against perpetrators when there are no criminal records.

The report also referenced a consultation by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities in 2022, which identified similar problems and proposed solutions such as legislative changes to allow the Family Court to transfer joint tenancies to survivors. A proposal for a new Domestic Abuse Tenancy Transfer Order was also discussed, which aims to provide a simplified legal mechanism for transferring joint social tenancies to sole tenancies for survivors. This proposed order would be granted if the perpetrator has been convicted of a domestic abuse offence or has received a court order related to domestic abuse.

Hackney Housing Strategy 2026-31

The Commission reviewed a letter from the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission to the Executive regarding the forthcoming Hackney Housing Strategy 2026-31. The letter commended the extensive evidence gathering undertaken for the strategy and focused on four priority areas: affordable housing delivery, private sector housing, housing association partnerships, and supported housing and living.

The report highlighted the pressing need for genuinely affordable homes in Hackney, noting that the average wait time for council housing is over 10 years for two-bedroom properties and over 25 years for larger homes. While acknowledging the delivery of 965 new social rented homes by 2026, the report pointed out that only 29 had been completed since 2022, attributing delays to factors such as Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, new building regulations, and inflationary pressures. The report stressed the importance of lobbying for a new funding settlement from the government to ensure Hackney can build council homes for social rent in the long term. It also emphasised the need to address land supply challenges and work with other public sector landowners to release land for housing.

Regarding private sector housing, the report noted that one in three households in Hackney live in privately rented accommodation, with a significant proportion of these homes potentially containing serious hazards. The introduction of property licensing for private rented homes in 17 wards was supported, alongside a call for increased enforcement capacity and a focus on educating tenants about their rights.

The section on housing association partnerships discussed the introduction of a Compact between the Council and housing associations, noting successes such as the Hackney Social Landlords Domestic Abuse Protocol. However, it also identified challenges related to the Compact not being enforceable and a lack of routine performance monitoring. The report recommended the development of an outcomes framework and delivery plan for the refreshed Compact.

In the area of supported housing and living, the report acknowledged the Council's new responsibilities under the Supported Housing Act 2023. It highlighted the need for a diverse mix of supported housing to meet the needs of vulnerable residents, including older people, care leavers, people with disabilities, and those with mental health issues. The report recommended that the forthcoming Housing Strategy recognise and prioritise the needs of older people and set out how their housing and support needs will be addressed.

Scrutiny Action Tracker

The Commission reviewed the Scrutiny Action Tracker, which details agreed actions from previous meetings and their subsequent outcomes. Several actions were noted as awaiting response, including requests for information on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs), the use of underspends in the Tenant Levy, and detailed financial payments awarded to residents for housing complaints.

Living in Hackney Work Programme 2025/26

The Commission noted the proposed work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year. Key items scheduled for discussion included the Homelessness & Temporary Accommodation Supply Transformation Programme, the Housing Ombudsman's special investigation report into Hackney Council, the Housing Associations Compact Refresh, and the New Council Homes Programme. The programme also included discussions on the Eliminating Violence Against Women & Girls Strategy, Housing Complaints Annual Report, and the Housing Services Improvement Plan.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The draft minutes of the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission meeting held on 8 December 2025 were presented and agreed as an accurate record. The minutes covered discussions on the Housing Improvement Plan and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget Monitoring. Key points from the Housing Improvement Plan discussion included an update on health and safety compliance, repairs performance, and learning from complaints. The HRA Budget Monitoring highlighted a forecast operational expenditure overspend of £6.886 million, with significant drivers including repairs and maintenance costs and legal disrepair cases. Mitigations to balance the budget included the use of reserves and a temporary increase in rents for temporary accommodation.