Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the whole of a building that is partially higher than 11 metres and partially lower than this threshold will be eligible for funding from the Cladding Safety Scheme.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Cladding Safety Scheme is open to buildings over 11 metres (and up to 18 metres in London) when measured in accordance with the guidance set out on scheme eligibility on gov.uk. The height measurement should be taken from the lowest external ground level to the finished floor level of the top occupied storey. If a building is of varying height, it is the height of the highest residential floor which is relevant when measured in accordance with the instructions provided.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what proportion of maladministration cases have been due to unreasonable delays from housing associations each of the last 5 years.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Housing Ombudsman’s adjudication on Complaint 202015630 about Clarion Housing Group’s handling of a repair for a disabled tenant and the recommendation that the organisation review its whole process and practice for dealing with the repairs of vulnerable tenants, if he will ask the Regulator for Social Housing (a) for what reason it didn’t identify those service failings in its own investigation in 2020 and 2021 and (b) whether vulnerable tenants were potentially incurring serious detriment as a result of Clarion’s flawed classification of their repairs as routine to be completed within 28 days.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Regulator of Social Housing's investigations in 2020 and 2021 did not identify systemic failures by Clarion and therefore did not find a breach of the regulatory standards or serious detriment. However, the Regulator has acknowledged and notified Clarion that it had identified individual incidents of service failure for Clarion to resolve. The Regulator does not have a role in resolving individual disputes between tenants and their landlords. Where the Regulator receives a referral from a tenant or representative for an individual matter, the Regulator will always signpost the tenant or representative to the Housing Ombudsman.
The Housing Ombudsman's role is to adjudicate on individual complaints from tenants about their landlords, and its investigation and adjudication on Complaint 202015630 was a resolution to an individual complaint.
Service failures can have a significant effect on tenants, and such failures should be remedied promptly and effectively by the landlord. Where a registered provider does not resolve the issues for the tenant, it is for the Housing Ombudsman to make orders and recommendations to put things right for the individual affected.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will meet with tenants and leaseholders of Clare House to discuss their concerns on Clarion Housing Group’s handling of the fire safety issues in their block and their subsequent decant into emergency accommodation.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Clarion Housing Group are the owners of Clare House and have responsibility for the safety of residents in the building. Clarion also has responsibility for providing residents with appropriate alternative accommodation in the event of an evacuation of the building. They have confirmed to the Department that they have released the information relied upon to evacuate the building. Clarion have also confirmed that they meet regularly with affected residents and have made a comprehensive offer of support which will include permanent alternative accommodation, along with interim support, for as long as it is required.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2021 to Question 60421 on Housing: Bethnal Green and Bow, whether tenants decanted from Clare House on an emergency basis by Clarion Housing Group will have to right to specify the area within Tower Hamlets they would be willing to accept as one of its three direct offers.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Clarion Housing Group are the owners of Clare House and have responsibility for the safety of residents in the building. Clarion also has responsibility for providing residents with appropriate alternative accommodation in the event of an evacuation of the building. They have confirmed to the Department that they have released the information relied upon to evacuate the building. Clarion have also confirmed that they meet regularly with affected residents and have made a comprehensive offer of support which will include permanent alternative accommodation, along with interim support, for as long as it is required.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answers of 25 October 2021 to Question 57038 on Social Rented Housing: Bethnal Green and Bow and 57041 on High Rise Flats: Safety, if he will ask Clarion Housing Group to report on the length of time it estimates the 122 tenants and leaseholders decanted from Clare House will have to spend in temporary accommodation before they are made offers of permanent accommodation.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Clarion Housing Group are the owners of Clare House and have responsibility for the safety of residents in the building. Clarion also has responsibility for providing residents with appropriate alternative accommodation in the event of an evacuation of the building. They have confirmed to the Department that they have released the information relied upon to evacuate the building. Clarion have also confirmed that they meet regularly with affected residents and have made a comprehensive offer of support which will include permanent alternative accommodation, along with interim support, for as long as it is required.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answers of 25 October 2021 to Question 57038 on Social Rented Housing: Bethnal Green and Bow and 57041 on High Rise Flats: Safety, if he will ask Clarion Housing Group to report its reasons for withholding the structural condition survey that was peer reviewed by Arup in August and September 2021 and which resulted in its Board deciding to urgently decant 122 tenants and leaseholders from Clare House on 29 September 2021.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Clarion Housing Group are the owners of Clare House and have responsibility for the safety of residents in the building. Clarion also has responsibility for providing residents with appropriate alternative accommodation in the event of an evacuation of the building. They have confirmed to the Department that they have released the information relied upon to evacuate the building. Clarion have also confirmed that they meet regularly with affected residents and have made a comprehensive offer of support which will include permanent alternative accommodation, along with interim support, for as long as it is required.