Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to extend (a) support and (b) protection to leaseholders experiencing damp and mould problems outside of the scope of the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Individual leases set out obligations for building maintenance and failure by the landlord to take action can mean a breach of the lease, which leaseholders may seek to pursue through an application to the County Court. Leaseholders can approach the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) for advice through that organisation’s website.
Accountable persons of high-rise buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022 must also prepare a safety case report to demonstrate that all reasonable steps have been taken to prevent building safety risks happening and reduce the seriousness if they do. This may include addressing damp and mould if it is the source of prolonged or uncontrolled water ingress. Furthermore, as part of its section 5 duties under the 2022 Act, the Building Safety Regulator must keep under review the safety of people in or about buildings in relation to risks as regards buildings, and the standard of buildings. Further information is available from the Regulator.
On 4 July, the government published a consultation on strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services. It can be found on gov.uk here. For an overview of the proposals set out in the consultation, I refer the hon. Member to the associated Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS780).
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps his Department has taken with community organisations to help tackle (a) anti-Semitism and (b) anti-Muslim hatred.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In response to the concerning rise in both antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred, the Government is absolutely committed to rooting out these forms of hatred. We are working across government on security, education and working alongside local government.
An Antisemitism Working Group has been established to advise the Government on effective strategies to tackle hate against Jewish communities and will explore how the Government should engage with Jewish communities in relation to international, national, and local events that impact British Jews. In addition, the government continues to work with the independent advisor Lord Mann in combating antisemitism through meaningful engagement with diverse communities.
Regarding tackling anti-Muslim hatred, the Government established an independent working group to advise on a non-statutory definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia. The working group have engaged widely to ensure their proposed definition accounts for the variety of backgrounds and experiences of communities across the United Kingdom.
The government also funds the British Muslim Trust to deliver a comprehensive service to monitor anti-Muslim hatred and provide support to victims, and True Vision, an online hate crime reporting portal, designed so that victims of hate crime do not have to visit a police station to report to the police.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of families living in temporary accommodation in London.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
Time spent in temporary accommodation means people are getting help and it ensures no family is without a roof over their head.
The Government is committed to ensuring that families can move out of temporary accommodation and into stable accommodation, as well as reducing the need for temporary accommodation by preventing homelessness before it occurs. That is why we are investing £1.2 billon through the Homelessness Prevention Grant over three years and, recognising current pressures, including a £109 million top up for 2024/25, giving councils the funding they need to prevent homelessness and help more people sooner. Councils in London have been allocated over £198 million through the Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2024/25.
The Local Authority Housing Fund also enables councils in England to buy or build housing stock to provide a lasting affordable housing asset for the future. We recently announced a third round of funding, bringing the total funding to £1.2 billion.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will issue guidance to housing associations on increasing the transparency of service charge costs.
Answered by Jacob Young
Registered Providers of social housing (including housing associations) are expected to set transparent and reasonable service charges. The policy statement clarifies that tenants should be supplied with clear information on how service charges are set. Where new or extended services are introduced, and an additional charge may need to be made, registered providers are expected to consult with tenants.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of (a) financial pressures facing London local authority Housing Revenue Accounts and (b) the analysis by Savill's reported in the briefing entitled Housing Revenue Account financial pressures, published by London Councils on 15 December 2023.
Answered by Jacob Young
The department has noted the analysis by Savill’s and has regular engagement with councils, including in London.
The department does not economically regulate local authority registered providers’ HRA finances but does work with local authorities and representative bodies to examine the problems that are common to all landlords, and to gain intelligence from practitioners on measures that have been taken locally, and how these might be adapted to the wider environment. Nonetheless, it is for councils to meet their statutory responsibilities to keep their homes to a safe, decent standard. The revised consumer standards and changes to the role of the Regulator of Social Housing will help to ensure that happens. Local authorities have wide discretion on how to prioritise their spending within the HRA to meet their statutory and other commitments.
The regulatory changes which come into effect on 1 April have been assessed to be affordable to the sector. Impact assessments were published for the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, the publication of the revised consumer standards, and for the ongoing consultation on competence and conduct requirements. All future regulatory changes, including to the Decent Homes Standard, will also be subject to consultation and impact assessment.
The impact assessment for the revised consumer standards can be found here: Annex 5: Regulatory impact assessment, and the draft impact assessment for competence and conduct requirements is available here: Annex C: Impact assessment.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of arrangements to fund the (a) training and (b) qualifications of London council staff under the Regulator for Social Housing's new regulatory regime through council Housing Revenue Accounts.
Answered by Jacob Young
The department has noted the analysis by Savill’s and has regular engagement with councils, including in London.
The department does not economically regulate local authority registered providers’ HRA finances but does work with local authorities and representative bodies to examine the problems that are common to all landlords, and to gain intelligence from practitioners on measures that have been taken locally, and how these might be adapted to the wider environment. Nonetheless, it is for councils to meet their statutory responsibilities to keep their homes to a safe, decent standard. The revised consumer standards and changes to the role of the Regulator of Social Housing will help to ensure that happens. Local authorities have wide discretion on how to prioritise their spending within the HRA to meet their statutory and other commitments.
The regulatory changes which come into effect on 1 April have been assessed to be affordable to the sector. Impact assessments were published for the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, the publication of the revised consumer standards, and for the ongoing consultation on competence and conduct requirements. All future regulatory changes, including to the Decent Homes Standard, will also be subject to consultation and impact assessment.
The impact assessment for the revised consumer standards can be found here: Annex 5: Regulatory impact assessment, and the draft impact assessment for competence and conduct requirements is available here: Annex C: Impact assessment.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the (a) role of the Regulator of Social Housing and (b) Decent Homes Standard on London council Housing Revenue Accounts.
Answered by Jacob Young
The department has noted the analysis by Savill’s and has regular engagement with councils, including in London.
The department does not economically regulate local authority registered providers’ HRA finances but does work with local authorities and representative bodies to examine the problems that are common to all landlords, and to gain intelligence from practitioners on measures that have been taken locally, and how these might be adapted to the wider environment. Nonetheless, it is for councils to meet their statutory responsibilities to keep their homes to a safe, decent standard. The revised consumer standards and changes to the role of the Regulator of Social Housing will help to ensure that happens. Local authorities have wide discretion on how to prioritise their spending within the HRA to meet their statutory and other commitments.
The regulatory changes which come into effect on 1 April have been assessed to be affordable to the sector. Impact assessments were published for the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, the publication of the revised consumer standards, and for the ongoing consultation on competence and conduct requirements. All future regulatory changes, including to the Decent Homes Standard, will also be subject to consultation and impact assessment.
The impact assessment for the revised consumer standards can be found here: Annex 5: Regulatory impact assessment, and the draft impact assessment for competence and conduct requirements is available here: Annex C: Impact assessment.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of amending planning rules to make it easier to install bicycle sheds in front gardens.
Answered by Lee Rowley
We are currently consulting on changes to the householder permitted development rights to allow bin and bike stores in front gardens without the need for a planning application.
The consultation is open until 9 April 2024 and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-various-permitted-development-rights-consultation.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure that disabled people have access to specialised homes in (a) the private sector and (b) social housing.
Answered by Jacob Young
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out that local authorities should assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including people with disabilities and reflect this in their local plan. Alongside this, my Department, DHSC and the NHS provide capital grant funding to help subsidise the delivery of new supply of supported housing including for disabled people.
Local housing authorities have a statutory duty to provide home adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test. They also have powers to provide adaptations for those that do not qualify under the duty. Government funding helps adapt around 50,000 homes annually, with the majority (90%) of adaptations being level access showers, stair lifts, or ramps. Government funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant has more than doubled, rising from £220 million in 2015-16 to £625 million for 2024-25.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to (a) review and (b) amend the maximum fair rent inflationary index set in the Rent Act 1977.
Answered by Jacob Young
The Government has no plans to amend the Rent Act 1977 or Maximum Fair Rent Order 1999.