Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of rights for residents living on houseboats in permanent moorings in the context of the (a) length and (b) security of their tenure.

No assessment has been made. Navigation authorities have responsibility for operational matters on their waterways, including setting the terms and conditions of the licences that they issue for the use of permanent moorings.

The length and security of tenure of houseboat owners will depend on the terms they agree with the mooring owner. The terms of the agreement issued by the mooring owner must comply with the unfair terms in consumer contracts requirements in the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Boat owners with residential moorings will also benefit from the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. This requires mooring owners to get a court order to evict boat owners who continue to moor after their license agreement has ended.