Asked by: Baroness Eaton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to act on the recommendations of the private rented sector Electrical Safety Working Group.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Government has committed to consult to test the recommendations of the working group to ensure that any regulation introduced is balanced and works for landlords and tenants. We must also take account of the conclusions of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety led by Dame Judith Hackitt which are expected in the Spring.
Asked by: Baroness Eaton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce a national minimum space standard for housing, especially in the private rented sector.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
All dwellings in England, including those in the Private Rented Sector, are subject to the overcrowding standards in Part X of the Housing Act 1985. In particular, section 326 provides minimum space standards for bedrooms.
As part of the reforms to houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing, the Government also proposes to make minimum sleeping room standards a mandatory condition of HMO licences. This will make it easier for local authorities to deal with overcrowding in HMOs. We intend to introduce this shortly, subject to parliamentary approval.