Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing a person who has a power of attorney on behalf of a park home resident to appeal against a site licence condition which has been imposed by a local council.
Answered by Jacob Young
It remains appropriate that site owners, not residents or their representatives, have the right to appeal against conditions imposed on them by local authorities. Site licences and any conditions attached to them, are issued to site owners by local authorities, to ensure sites and amenities on them are adequately maintained.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the (a) business and (b) social net present value is of the impact of the policies enacted through the Renters (Reform) Bill which do not require secondary legislation.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Impact Assessment for the Renters (Reform) Bill sets out the Net Present Social Value and impacts on business for all the policies in the Bill, including those which do not require secondary legislation. The full Impact Assessment can be found here.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
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 to implement its commitment in 2018 to (a) legislate to simplify complex company and opaque structures used to limit the security of tenure of park home residents and (b) amend the definition of pitch fees to prevent the use of variable service charges for park home residents in pitch fee agreements.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
We have made significant progress on the implementation of our 2018 commitments, including supporting my Honourable Friend's Private Member's Bill which will change the inflationary index used in pitch fee reviews from the retail price index to the lower consumer price index.
We remain focused on improving the sector and will introduce primary legislation to implement our remaining commitments, when the parliamentary timetable allows.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he received the independent assurance review of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council; and when he plans to publish (a) that review and (b) his response to it.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The independent assurance review of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council is being finalised. The final report will be published on the gov.uk website. I will write to the council and local Members of Parliament following publication.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
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 Baroness Maclean of Redditch
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.