Leasehold Reform

Lord Best Excerpts

Tuesday 6th September 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I thank my noble friend for that question. The Government have confirmed that we will provide equivalent support of £400 for the households who will not be reached through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This includes those on communal heating systems, where they are currently excluded. The Government are due to announce in the autumn details of how those households will receive £400 of support. The energy security Bill introduced in July will also give Ofgem powers to set prices for consumers on heat networks where necessary.

[Lord Best (CB)]

Can the Minister to add yet another item to the long list of things that she is going to take back to the Secretary of State—the special position of leases for retirement housing? People moving into retirement housing is a very good thing, because it frees up family homes, and we want people to be in more suitable accommodation in old age, but people are rightly put off by not understanding, and sometimes by being ripped off by, the lease arrangements that govern their service charges and other fees. Could she draw particular attention to that? Possibly a solution may lie in the new legislation, as it comes forward, specifying the content that will go into each leasehold that will be permitted in future.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I thank the noble Lord for that. I am personally aware that this is an issue in housing for those over 50 and 55. I shall try my best to urge the department to take on board those issues when it comes to the next piece of leaseholder legislation.