Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) capping service charge rises at the rate of CPI inflation, (b) requiring housing association landlords to publish an annual independent audit of service charges, (c) implementing a requirement for housing associations to fully itemise bills and accompany them with validated receipts and (d) requiring the boards of housing associations to improve monitoring of (i) service charges and (ii) complaints systems.

Variable service charges must be reasonable and, where costs relate to works or services, the works or services must be of a reasonable standard.

We believe that charges to leaseholders and social housing tenants should be transparent and communicated effectively, and there should be a clear route to challenge them if things go wrong.

With regard specifically to social housing tenants I refer the Hon. Member to the oral answers given on 27 March 2023 (Official Report, HC, Volume 730, Column 644) and to the answers given to Question UIN 114788 on 13 January 2023 and Question UIN 86547 on 23 November 2022.