Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the consultation entitled Modern leasehold: restricting ground rent for existing leases, published on 9 November 2023, whether he plans to implement changes arising from that consultation in this Parliament.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Government recently consulted on a range of options to restrict ground rents for existing leases. We asked questions about the impacts of the options on different stakeholder groups and how a cap would work in practice. This included questions on how freeholders use ground rent currently, and whether there are costs that freeholders meet through ground rent which are more appropriately suited to the service charge.
We are carefully considering the responses we have received and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish a response to his Department's consultation entitled Modern leasehold: restricting ground rent for existing leases, published on 9 November 2023.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Government recently consulted on a range of options to restrict ground rents for existing leases. We asked questions about the impacts of the options on different stakeholder groups and how a cap would work in practice. This included questions on how freeholders use ground rent currently, and whether there are costs that freeholders meet through ground rent which are more appropriately suited to the service charge.
We are carefully considering the responses we have received and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
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 cap ground rent for existing leases at a peppercorn level.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Government recently consulted on a range of options to restrict ground rents for existing leases. We asked questions about the impacts of the options on different stakeholder groups and how a cap would work in practice. This included questions on how freeholders use ground rent currently, and whether there are costs that freeholders meet through ground rent which are more appropriately suited to the service charge.
We are carefully considering the responses we have received and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
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 through the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill to ensure that any ground rent reductions are not passed on to leaseholders by way of increased service charges.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Government recently consulted on a range of options to restrict ground rents for existing leases. We asked questions about the impacts of the options on different stakeholder groups and how a cap would work in practice. This included questions on how freeholders use ground rent currently, and whether there are costs that freeholders meet through ground rent which are more appropriately suited to the service charge.
We are carefully considering the responses we have received and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
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 through the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill to ensure service charges are fully (a) transparent, (b) justified and (c) challengeable.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Service charges should be transparent, reasonable and there should be a clear route to challenge or redress if things go wrong. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill will help make this reality. Full details of the measures in the Bill can be found here: Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill - Parliamentary Bills.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to ensure that EWS1 certificates are only issued by qualified (a) chartered or (b) incorporated engineers.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The External Wall System Review form (EWS1) is not a statutory requirement or Government process and we have agreed with the industry that this should be minimised.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have issued guidance on its use and application, including on the relevant expertise and qualification of the signatories of EWS1 forms. RICS are clear that anyone instructing an EWS1 must be satisfied that the signatory meets the requirements in their guidance.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 8376 on Council Tax: Asylum, if he will take steps to ensure that (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers who do not hold a Homes for Ukraine immigration permission are disregarded when determining whether a discount should be applied to the council tax for their accommodation.
Answered by Simon Hoare
The council tax disregard is one part of a bespoke package of support for those arriving on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, and their sponsors, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Government does not plan to extend the council tax disregard to refugees or asylum seekers who do not hold a Homes for Ukraine immigration permission living in England.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
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 take steps to amend the Council Tax (Additional Provisions for Discount Disregards) Regulations 1992 so that (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers being voluntarily housed by a person living alone are disregarded for the Council Tax single person discount.
Answered by Simon Hoare
People in England who hold a Homes for Ukraine immigration permission are disregarded when determining whether a discount should be applied to the council tax for their accommodation.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead of 20 April 2023, 13 May and 28 June 2023, reference MP79450.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
A response was issued to my Rt. Hon. Friend on 4 May. A copy of the response has been resent.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to reply to correspondence of 19 October 2022 from the Rt hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead on significant rent increases on Shared Ownership Properties due to the rise in inflation rates, case reference MP77691IU.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
I apologise for the delay in responding to my Rt. Hon. Friend's correspondence. The department attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from Honourable Members. A response was issued on 24 February 2023.