Housing and Planning Bill

Baroness Gardner of Parkes Excerpts

Thursday 3rd March 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Con)]

My Lords, I really like Amendment 41A but I believe the money should go to the local authority in which the property is based, to be used for further housing benefit or whatever else is needed. Local authorities are very hard pressed for funds and all the local communities benefit from anything that goes to them.

It is not at all unreasonable to ask for a certain amount to be repaid. It would be just,

“1% for each year of occupation”—

or is it 1/20th? That is where I am slightly lost. If you occupy a property for 20 years and pay 1% for each year does that mean—my maths are not good enough to work this out—that you have reduced the whole lot at the end of 20 years? If you have not stayed the whole 20 years do you pass it on to the next person, so say after five years that person has a 15% discount, which they can then keep for 15 years? And will they lose that when they pass on the property? I believe that is what is intended. It seems to be the fairest amendment which has been put forward on this.

[Lord McKenzie of Luton]

I accept entirely that the recovery could be by the local authority rather than the Government.