Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations of the report of the working group on the Regulation of Property Agents, published on 18 July 2019.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and renters and making sure that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. This commitment includes raising professionalism and standards amongst property agents, protecting consumers while defending the reputation of good agents from the actions of rogue operatives. We therefore welcome the ongoing work being undertaken by the industry itself to raise professionalism and standards across the sector.
The Government is considering the recommendations in the report received from the working group on the regulation of property agents. We welcome the work of the Noble Baroness as the Chair of the independent steering group on codes of practice for property agents, and we will continue to work with industry on improving best practice.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Housing Associations will be able to access the Remedial Fund for Cladding without having to use charitable resources ring fenced for charitable purposes and without having to charge leaseholders.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
We continue to engage with the social sector to ensure that leaseholders are supported and do not have to bear the costs associated with remediation of unsafe non-ACM cladding. Housing Associations will be able to apply for funding to cover the cost of remediation that they would otherwise pass on to leaseholders. Each Housing Association will need to make its own assessment as to how best to meet the remaining remediation costs in line with their business plans and different sources of income.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken a review to ascertain whether leaseholders of Housing Associations properties might be unfairly discriminated against in relation to leaseholders of private landlords in the allocation of the Remedial Fund for Cladding.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The Secretary of State considered the decision to launch the Building Safety Fund in line with requirements under the Public Sector Equality duty. Funding is being provided to support leaseholders in both the social and private sectors. Where funding is claimed from government, the costs of remediating unsafe non-ACM cladding systems cannot be passed onto leaseholders.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to develop the application process, including the criteria and decision-making process for applications, for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and when they will publish these details.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Government has committed to creating a UK Shared Prosperity Fund to succeed European structural funds and bind together the whole of the United Kingdom, tackling inequality and deprivation in each of our four nations. The UK Government can cut out bureaucracy and create a fund which invests in UK priorities and is easier for local areas to access.
The government understands the importance of this investment for people, business and places and will set out further plans for the fund in due course. Final decisions on the design of the fund will need to be taken after a cross-Government Spending Review. In the meantime, we will continue to work closely with interested parties whilst developing the fund.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they are making on plans to introduce mandatory electrical safety checks in the private rented sector.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
On 13 January 2020, the Government laid before Parliament new regulations that will require private landlords to make sure the electrical installations in their properties are safe.
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 require that:
The Regulations also set out enforcement powers for local authorities who will be able to tackle those rogue landlords who breach their new duties under the Regulations.
Subject to approval by parliament, these requirements will come into force for all new tenancies from 1 July 2020 and for all existing tenancies from 1 April 2021.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether surveyors are returning zero valuations on properties in high-rise buildings by citing the Government's Advice Note 14 Advice on external wall systems that do not incorporate Aluminium Composite Material, published on 18 December 2018; and what steps they intend to take in response.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
It has not proved possible to respond to these questions in the time available before Dissolution. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.