Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to his oral Answer to the Question from the hon. Member for Christchurch on 5 June 2023, Official Report, for what reason he has not yet published the impact assessments for the Renters (Reform) Bill submitted to the Regulatory Policy Commission on (a) 24 March and (b) 16 May 2023.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
I refer my hon Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 185473 on 22 May 2023.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether it his policy that the power under Clause 5(7) of the Renters (Reform ) Bill will only be used to apply to assured tenancies which are not social housing where the rent of the assured tenancy does not exceed the rent of an equivalent property let in the social housing sector.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Further to the answer given to Question UIN 185473 on 22 May 2023, updated dwelling stock estimates published today continue to show that supply within the private rented sector is roughly stable.
We are continuing to monitor the private rented sector, through sources such as the English Housing Survey and ONS Rental Price Index.
The Renters (Reform) Bill exempts Private Registered Providers of Social Housing (PRPSH) offering assured tenancies of social housing from these changes. These are defined as a ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’. The power allows the Secretary of State to specify a description of other assured tenancies that meet the definition of ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’.
The Bill does not apply to those whose accommodation does not meet the definition of a ‘dwelling’ as defined in housing legislation, such as those who live in caravans. We continue to take a series of measures across the park homes sector and I am happy to discuss our plans further with the Hon member at his convenience.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of clause five of the Renters (Reform) Bill on (a) trends in the level of rent, (b) the difference between changes in market rents and changes in the Consumer Prices Index and (c) the supply of rental properties.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Further to the answer given to Question UIN 185473 on 22 May 2023, updated dwelling stock estimates published today continue to show that supply within the private rented sector is roughly stable.
We are continuing to monitor the private rented sector, through sources such as the English Housing Survey and ONS Rental Price Index.
The Renters (Reform) Bill exempts Private Registered Providers of Social Housing (PRPSH) offering assured tenancies of social housing from these changes. These are defined as a ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’. The power allows the Secretary of State to specify a description of other assured tenancies that meet the definition of ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’.
The Bill does not apply to those whose accommodation does not meet the definition of a ‘dwelling’ as defined in housing legislation, such as those who live in caravans. We continue to take a series of measures across the park homes sector and I am happy to discuss our plans further with the Hon member at his convenience.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason the Renters (Reform) Bill contains no provisions for renters of mobile homes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Further to the answer given to Question UIN 185473 on 22 May 2023, updated dwelling stock estimates published today continue to show that supply within the private rented sector is roughly stable.
We are continuing to monitor the private rented sector, through sources such as the English Housing Survey and ONS Rental Price Index.
The Renters (Reform) Bill exempts Private Registered Providers of Social Housing (PRPSH) offering assured tenancies of social housing from these changes. These are defined as a ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’. The power allows the Secretary of State to specify a description of other assured tenancies that meet the definition of ‘relevant low-cost tenancy’.
The Bill does not apply to those whose accommodation does not meet the definition of a ‘dwelling’ as defined in housing legislation, such as those who live in caravans. We continue to take a series of measures across the park homes sector and I am happy to discuss our plans further with the Hon member at his convenience.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason he has not included provision in the Renters (Reform) Bill to provide landlords with access to a redress scheme for complaints against tenants, on a similar basis to the redress scheme for tenants with complaints against landlords set out in Part 2 of that Bill.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Renters (Reform) Bill had its First Reading in the House of Commons on 17 May. I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS778) and to the published guide to the Bill.
We have submitted our Impact Assessment for review by the Regulatory Policy Committee. This is a significant document and they now need time to scrutinise it. We will publish it once that process has finished. I look forward to discussing these issues during the passage of the Bill.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether under the provisions of the Renters (Reform) Bill a landlord will be able to make the giving of consent to keeping a pet subject to enforceable conditions.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Renters (Reform) Bill had its First Reading in the House of Commons on 17 May. I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS778) and to the published guide to the Bill.
We have submitted our Impact Assessment for review by the Regulatory Policy Committee. This is a significant document and they now need time to scrutinise it. We will publish it once that process has finished. I look forward to discussing these issues during the passage of the Bill.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason his Department has not published a full assessment of the potential economic impact of the measures in the Renters (Reform) Bill; and if he will publish (a) an assessment of and (b) all other information held by his Department on the potential economic impact of the Bill before the Second Reading.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Renters (Reform) Bill had its First Reading in the House of Commons on 17 May. I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS778) and to the published guide to the Bill.
We have submitted our Impact Assessment for review by the Regulatory Policy Committee. This is a significant document and they now need time to scrutinise it. We will publish it once that process has finished. I look forward to discussing these issues during the passage of the Bill.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason the Renters (Reform) Bill does not give tenants of social landlords the right to (a) request permission to keep a pet and (b) access residential landlord redress schemes.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Renters (Reform) Bill had its First Reading in the House of Commons on 17 May. I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS778) and to the published guide to the Bill.
We have submitted our Impact Assessment for review by the Regulatory Policy Committee. This is a significant document and they now need time to scrutinise it. We will publish it once that process has finished. I look forward to discussing these issues during the passage of the Bill.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
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 1 March 2023 to Question 152185 on Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, what the planned timetable is for the (a) commencement and (b) conclusion of the governance and finance review; and how it will be publicised.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The independent assurance review of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council (BCP) is in the process of being set up and we will be announcing further information shortly. We anticipate the review will have both started and concluded over the course of the Spring.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
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 16 January to Question 119880 on Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, whether he will appoint the Chief Executive of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council as the reviewer of that Council's governance and finance arrangements; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The arrangements for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council’s governance and finance review have been finalised and it will commence shortly. It is important that any assurance review is independent, although the views of statutory officers and others at the council will be considered as well as the views of local Members of Parliament.