Asked by: Kate Kniveton (Conservative - Burton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many homes have been purchased under the Home Ownership for those with Long-term Disabilities scheme in each year since 2015.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We do not hold data on the number of homes purchased through the Home Ownership for Long-term Disabilities (HOLD) scheme.
Asked by: Kate Kniveton (Conservative - Burton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the validity period for planning permissions due to expire during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is aware from both local planning authorities and the development industry that, with delays caused by COVID-19, there is a risk of unimplemented planning permissions lapsing, undermining the delivery of projects. We are aware of these concerns and are considering whether permissions should be extended.
Asked by: Kate Kniveton (Conservative - Burton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the Government's timeframe is for bringing forward legislative proposals to give freeholders rights to challenge service charges.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. The Government is advancing a comprehensive programme of reform to end unfair practices and raise standards in the leasehold and freehold markets.
Homeowners who pay estate rentcharges currently have limited rights to challenge these costs. The Government intends to legislate to give freeholders on private and mixed tenure estates equivalent rights to leaseholders to challenge the reasonableness of estate rentcharges as well as a right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal to appoint a new manager to manage the provision of services covered by estate rentcharges. We will bring forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.