Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
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 help improve standards in the social rental sector.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
This Government has set an ambitious mission to halve the number of non-decent homes and drive up standards in all rented sectors by 2030 - with the biggest improvements in the lowest-performing areas.
I was delighted that the Queen's Speech confirmed we will bring forward a Social Housing Regulation Bill.
The Bill will create a strong and proactive consumer regulation regime that will drive up standards in social housing and help tenants and the Regulator hold landlords to account.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the increase in buildings insurance premiums for leaseholders in residential blocks as a result of building safety concerns.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is aware that some buildings are currently unable to secure adequate, affordable building insurance. On the 28 January, I called on the FCA and the CMA to conduct a review of the buildings insurance market to review buildings insurance premiums for people living in medium and high rise blocks of flats. In his oral statement on the 10 January, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities noted Lord Greenhalgh’s intention to work with insurers on new industry-led approaches that bring down the premiums facing leaseholders. Lord Greenhalgh has written to the Association of British Insurers, encouraging them to investigate the possibility of an industry-led risk pool with their members.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his oral contribution of 10 January 2022, Official Report column 283, what rights leaseholders who believe that unnecessary remediation work has been recommended for their building have to challenge an EWS1 assessment.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
An EWS1 assessment is as a valuation tool and is not a safety assessment. We have been clear that EWS1 should not be a requirement on buildings below 18 metres. We have withdrawn the Consolidated Advice Note which has been wrongly interpreted and ensure that it is not used to justify disproportionate assessment and unnecessary EWS1 forms.
Where remediation of a building is recommended by an assessor, material supporting this conclusion should be transparent and there should be evidence that alternatives, such as management or mitigation, have been clearly considered. Leaseholders who wish to challenge proposed remediation works should ask their building owner if there is a clear reason why an EWS1 is needed, for example the block of flats over 18 metres high. If the building is lower, an expert panel commissioned by Government, has recommended that an EWS1 should not be needed, although some lenders may still request one. Leaseholders can ask whether costs can be met via warranty or insurance. Leaseholders can also ask the building owner to seek a second opinion from another fire risk assessor.
For free initial advice on residential leasehold, leaseholders can contact LEASE, an organisation supported by government.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the £27 million in extra funding for ending waking watches announced in Parliament on 10 January 2022 will become available to leaseholders; and whether buildings under between 11 and 18 metres in height will be able to access that funding.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The additional £27 million funding scheme announced on 10 January 2022, on top of the existing £35 million already being provided, to pay for the installation of fire alarm systems in buildings with a waking watch, opened on 27 January 2022. It will cover all buildings in England with a waking watch regardless of height or the reason for the waking watch being in place.