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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the guidance in the Homes England Capital Funding Guide to protect shared owners from financial hardship when they sublet their property.

Social housing providers have the option to repurchase homes where shared owners are unable to sell due to building safety issues. They can use Recycled Capital Grant Funding or alternative resources to do so. This is not an automatic entitlement for shared owners and is available at providers’ discretion. Providers will have their own policies setting out when this option is available, including any relevant eligibility criteria, and they are expected to publish all relevant policies on their websites in a clear and accessible format.

The Government does not collect information about shared ownership providers’ policies regarding repurchase of homes from shared owners where building safety issues are present.

Regarding subletting requests, Homes England’s Capital Funding Guidance for shared ownership is clear. For properties affected by building safety issues, requests from shared owners to sub-let, including up to a market rent, should always be accepted by registered providers of social housing in England. Where required, the shared owner may also need permission from the mortgage lender and/or the building’s freeholder.