Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a property tax on landlords on the availability of rental properties in the private sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government does not comment on speculation about tax changes. All tax policy is kept under review and tax decisions will be made at the Budget, in the usual way.
The Government recognises that the private rented sector plays an important role in the UK housing market. Boosting the supply of housing is essential in making rent more affordable, which is why we have committed to building 1.5 million homes over the course of this Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 15 September (HL Deb cols 1885–88), whether they will provide assurance to private landlords that the cost cap to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will not be raised, and that a higher energy efficiency will not be required.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C by 2030. In the consultation, government set out proposals on maximum spend required from landlords and the exemptions regime to manage the cost burden placed on landlords and the impact on the rental market, whilst still achieving our ambition to deliver significant bill savings for tenants and lift households out of fuel poverty. No final decisions have been made and a government response to the consultation with be published in due course.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of higher levels of regulation in the private rented sector on the number of people who are unable to rent privately and in need of local authority temporary accommodation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
An Impact Assessment (IA) for the Renters’ Rights Bill was published in November 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here.
The IA makes clear that the reduction in forced evictions could result in a reduced number of households at risk of becoming homeless, with section 21 evictions currently the second leading cause of homelessness. This will in turn reduce the costs to the public purse and wider society of temporary accommodation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered bringing forward legislative proposals on Empty Dwelling Management Orders.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use across the country.
Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years.
They can also access funding through the Affordable Homes Programme and Local Authority Housing Fund. Through the New Homes Bonus, local authorities can also receive the same level of reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one.
Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here.
The government outlined its intent to strengthen local authorities’ ability to take over the management of vacant residential premises in the English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of (a) trends in the level of houses in multiple occupation and (b) the potential impact of those trends on local communities.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can play an important part in the housing market, providing relatively low-cost accommodation for rent.
Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) through ‘Article 4’ directions.
In addition to the mandatory licensing of large HMOs, local areas can also choose to require smaller HMOs to be licenced to ensure such properties are safe and well managed, and that the character of local communities are protected.
Local authorities have robust powers to ensure landlords of HMOs comply with all relevant regulations. This includes powers to issue civil penalties, prosecute landlords and obtain banning orders.
No recent assessments of the trends in the level of HMOs, or of the potential impacts of these trends on local communities, have been made.
The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces reforms to improve the regulation of private rented sector properties, including HMOs, and drive-up standards within the sector. This includes a Decent Homes Standard and new enforcement powers for local authorities.
My Department will continue to engage with local authorities on a range of local issues, including matters relating to HMOs and we will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to provide funding for councils to support long-term empty homes being put back into use.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use across the country.
Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years.
They can also access funding through the Affordable Homes Programme and Local Authority Housing Fund. Through the New Homes Bonus, local authorities can also receive the same level of reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one.
Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here.
The government outlined its intent to strengthen local authorities’ ability to take over the management of vacant residential premises in the English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help support landlords to ensure their properties comply with the Decent Homes Standard.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is imperative that homes are decent, safe and warm. The current Decent Homes Standard (DHS) plays a key role in setting a minimum quality standard that all social homes should meet.
The primary source of funding to support landlords in meeting the DHS and to manage the repair and maintenance of existing social homes is rental income. This amounted to £24.5bn in 2023/24.
From April 2026, social housing rents will be permitted to increase by CPI+1% annually as part of a new 10-year rent settlement announced at the Spending Review. In addition, we completed a focused consultation on how we will implement social rent convergence, ahead of a final decision to be announced at Autumn Budget.
Social housing landlords are required to deliver the outcomes of the regulatory consumer standards, which includes the DHS, set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). The RSH proactively seeks assurances that registered providers are meeting the outcomes of the consumer standards through routine inspections of large landlords (those with more than 1,000 homes).
The government is extending the DHS to apply to the private rented sector for the first time through the Renters’ Rights Bill. Alongside its introduction to the private rented sector, the government recently consulted on a modernised DHS for private and social rent homes. The consultation closed on 12 September 2025. My Department is now considering the responses to that consultation, and we will set out our response in due course focused on ensuring that the new DHS is proportionate and deliverable.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of potential impact of the Renter's Rights Bill on the supply of private rented housing for people from each (a) income group and (b) geographic region.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government published an Impact Assessment for the Renters' Rights Bill on 22 November 2024. It received a 'Green' rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee, indicating that it is 'fit for purpose'.
While we acknowledge that it will take time for the sector to adjust to a significant change in regulation, we do not believe that our Renters’ Rights Bill will have a harmful impact on future rental supply.
Although landlords have been aware of successive governments’ plans to reform the private rented sector since 2019, the size of the sector as a whole has remained broadly stable since 2013-14.
The Bill will make sure good landlords have the confidence they need to continue to invest and operate in the sector. We will continue to work with good landlords and their representative associations throughout implementation.
Asked by: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill on levels of private rented housing availability.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government published an Impact Assessment for the Renters' Rights Bill on 22 November 2024. It received a 'Green' rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee, indicating that it is 'fit for purpose'.
While we acknowledge that it will take time for the sector to adjust to a significant change in regulation, we do not believe that our Renters’ Rights Bill will have a harmful impact on future rental supply.
Although landlords have been aware of successive governments’ plans to reform the private rented sector since 2019, the size of the sector as a whole has remained broadly stable since 2013-14.
The Bill will make sure good landlords have the confidence they need to continue to invest and operate in the sector. We will continue to work with good landlords and their representative associations throughout implementation.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of financial incentives requested by (a) landlords and (b) agencies on the ability of charities to house rough sleepers.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is the responsibility of Councils and their partners to develop a range of housing options that reflect local needs, including housing with support and making use of the private rented sector where is suitable for the needs of the individual.
Financial support including helping individuals with deposits, first month’s rent in advance, or one-off payments to landlords can be an effective means of securing private rented tenancies for people who have experienced rough sleeping.