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Written Question
Private Rented Housing: Coronavirus
Monday 21st September 2020

Asked by: Baroness Grender (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the numbers of tenants served notice between 26 March and 28 August whose evictions will proceed after 20 September, following the commencement of the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies: Protection from Eviction) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 (2020/914).

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Government has established an unprecedented package of support to protect renters throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

When courts resume possession hearings they will prioritise the most egregious cases, ensuring landlords are able to progress cases such as those involving anti-social behaviour and other?serious issues.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies: Protection from Eviction) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 29 August 2020. They extended emergency measures in the Coronavirus Act 2020, meaning that from 29 August landlords are required to provide longer notice periods of six months when seeking possession of residential property, in all but the most egregious cases. These new requirements only apply to notices served after the 29 August.

Written Question
Homelessness: Coronavirus
Monday 21st September 2020

Asked by: Baroness Grender (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment has been made, if any, of the possible impacts of the Civil Procedure (Amendment No.4) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020 (SI 2020/751) on the duties of local authorities under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 is the most ambitious reform to homelessness legislation in decades. It placed new duties on local housing authorities to take reasonable steps to try to prevent and relieve a person’s homelessness. These duties have not been amended by the Civil Procedure Rules.

Local authorities must work with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within 56 days to develop personalised housing plans, tailored to focus on the needs and circumstances of the household. They must do so irrespective of whether they are a family or single person or the reason they are at risk.

Local authorities also have a duty to provide or secure the provision of advice and information about homelessness and the prevention of homelessness, free of charge to any person in their district.

Written Question
Private Rented Housing: Coronavirus
Wednesday 16th September 2020

Asked by: Baroness Grender (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of private rented sector tenants in arrears as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Government has established an unprecedented package of support to protect renters throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Sep 2020
Housing: New Homes

"My Lords, has the Minister seen Shelter’s latest analysis, which says that there is a backlog of 380,000 “phantom homes” with planning permission but not completed? Does he agree that the planning reforms, which may take as long as 18 months, will not be a quick-fix for this problem? Surely …..."
Baroness Grender - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 24 Jul 2020
Insolvency Act 1986 Part A1 Moratorium (Eligibility of Private Registered Providers) Regulations 2020

"My Lords, this statutory instrument is largely uncontroversial. These are technical amendments to ensure that there is no conflict in legislation relating to private providers of social housing through both the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 and the Housing and Planning Act 2016. The fact that it has been …..."
Baroness Grender - View Speech

View all Baroness Grender (LD - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Insolvency Act 1986 Part A1 Moratorium (Eligibility of Private Registered Providers) Regulations 2020
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 13 Jul 2020
Homelessness

"My Lords, is the Minister aware that, according to the Resolution Foundation, private renters are twice as likely as home owners to have struggled with housing costs due to the pandemic? Why, then, in last week’s financial Statement were home owners awarded a stamp duty tax cut worth £1 billion, …..."
Baroness Grender - View Speech

View all Baroness Grender (LD - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Homelessness
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 16 Jun 2020
Social Housing

"Does the Minister agree with the Conservative-majority housing Select Committee, which only last week stated that the building safety fund is an inadequate response to the current “cladding nightmare” and has too many restrictions, including against social housing providers? This White Paper was promised by Boris Johnson before the last …..."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 18 May 2020
Covid-19: Housing

"My Lords, I thank the Minister for taking questions on this Statement made by the Secretary of State last Wednesday on the restarting of the construction industry. It came as a surprise to many in that sector, given that they have continued to work throughout the lockdown. In the week …..."
Baroness Grender - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 14 May 2020
Housing for the Homeless

"This is a historic opportunity led by Dame Louise Casey. Evidence is already emerging that many of those rough sleepers who have been sheltered were originally in the less scrupulous parts of the private rented sector, which means that a further increase in the LHA, lifting of the benefit cap …..."
Baroness Grender - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 23 Jan 2020
Homelessness

"My Lords, does the Minister agree that evictions from the private rented sector and the freeze in the local housing allowance in 2016 caused real damage? The end of that freeze is welcome, but the harsh reality is that a 1.7% increase falls woefully short of the 15% increase in …..."
Baroness Grender - View Speech

View all Baroness Grender (LD - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Homelessness