Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of measures to help people without a guarantor access private rental tenancies.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver the Government’s commitment to a fairer private rented sector – improving the system for responsible tenants and good faith landlords.
The Government strongly encourages landlords and letting agents to assess the suitability of potential tenants on an individual basis. To ensure a sustainable tenancy for both parties, landlords and letting agents may require a guarantor for a tenancy.
The Department recognises that providing a guarantor can be difficult for some. We would encourage prospective tenants to discuss their individual circumstances with the letting agent or landlord about alternative forms of reference that might be acceptable. Local authorities may offer rent deposit, bond and guarantee schemes to help people on low incomes or at risk of homelessness.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking to steps to ensure affordable hostel accommodation for young people.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government published its cross-government strategy, 'Ending Rough Sleeping for Good', backed by £2 billion, last year. The strategy recognises young people face particular challenges and that mainstream service offers or accommodation may not always be appropriate for those needing higher levels of support.
The £200 millon Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme aims to deliver up to 2,400 homes by March 2025, including tailored accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping, alongside allocating 3 years' funding for support to meet individual needs.
Through the Rough Sleeping Initiative, we are investing over £530 million in funding to local authorities across 2022-2025 for interventions focused on tackling and preventing rough sleeping. £2.5 million of the Rough Sleeping Initiative 2022-25 is going towards funding youth-specific services in local areas.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to renew the Community Housing Fund.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 181053 on 25 April 2023.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what guidance his Department issues on (a) statutory limits on service charge increases in government-backed affordable housing schemes and (b) options available to enable leaseholders under such schemes to seek redress for excessive service charges.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, variable service charges must be reasonable and, where costs relate to works or services, the works or services must be of a reasonable standard. Leaseholders may seek free advice from organisations such as the Leasehold Advisory Service and Citizens Advice. Should leaseholders wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges they may make an application to the appropriate tribunal.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that (a) shared ownership schemes and (b) service charges in such schemes are affordable.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government is clear that service charges should be based on the cost of providing services and that there must a clear route for redress if things go wrong. Shared ownership leases should specify what, if any, service charges are payable.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
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 merits of reintroducing grants to support the improvement and repair of Airey houses.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We are working to address strategic barriers to further modern methods of construction growth in order to deliver more high quality new-build homes more quickly.
The Government has no plans for a specific grant for Airey houses.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when projects due to receive Shared Prosperity funding in October 2022 will receive that funding.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
All lead local authorities were informed on 5 December 2022 that their investment plans were approved, and the majority of local authorities have received their Year 1 payments.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has provided ring-fenced funding for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods to Brighton and Hove City Council.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The department is not responsible for the creation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.