Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether steps he has taken to safeguard deposit payments for licensees who have signed up for property guardianship schemes.

The tenancy deposit protection legislation applies to all new tenancy deposits taken on or after 6 April 2007 for qualifying assured shorthold tenancies. This legislation is not intended to apply to licensees. Property guardianship schemes are private arrangements between a building owner and/or guardian company and one or more individuals, where property guardians can be asked to live in conditions which do not meet the standards expected in residential properties. The Government does not endorse or encourage the use of property guardianship schemes as a form of housing tenure.