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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help improve the quality of housing stock in Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Everyone deserves to live in a decent, safe and warm home. The government is therefore bringing forward a consultation in early 2025, setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors to ensure safe and secure housing is the standard across the country.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will also drive significant improvements to conditions in the private rented sector. Ensuring landlords adhere to a legally binding Decent Homes Standard and extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to private landlords will reduce the number of poor-quality privately rented homes and empower tenants to raise concerns about damp, dangerous and cold homes.

Regarding new homes, the Building Safety Act created a power to mandate, for the first time, the requirement that all newly built homes be sold with a new build warranty. The government is carefully considering next steps regarding commencement of this power.