The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill introduces a new statutory right for shared owners to extend their leases by 990 years. This will make it easier and more cost effective for shared owners to engage in this process. The Bill also introduces greater transparency for service charges and administration fees. This includes proposals to ensure that leaseholders are provided with clearer information about their service charges and administration fees, improving their ability to scrutinise and challenge them if they are unreasonable.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4652", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lee Rowley"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Derbyshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lee Rowley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-22T14:38:04.607Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-02-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Shared Ownership Schemes: Fees and Charges"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the fees that residents on shared ownership schemes pay to (a) extend their lease and (b) sell their portion of the property.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"} ], "uin" : "13515"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683340", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683340/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 6726<\/a> on 20 December 2023.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4821", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Felicity Buchan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kensington"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Felicity Buchan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-01-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-01-25T14:59:24.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Refugees: Afghanistan"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many Afghan refugees are (a) registered as homeless and (b) accommodated in temporary local authority accommodation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "10366"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683440", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683440/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Our charter for social housing residents is clear that every resident can expect to have their voice heard by their landlord. Empowering residents at the local level to hold their landlords to account is at the heart of our new regulatory framework.<\/p> The Regulator of Social Housing has recently consulted on its revised draft consumer standards, one of which is the proposed Transparency, Influence & Accountability standard. This standard will set an expectation that registered providers must take tenants\u2019 views into account in their decision making about how landlord services are delivered. The revised consumer standards will be introduced from 1 April this year.<\/p> We are committed to listening to social housing residents. Both my department - through our Resident Panel which enables residents from across the country to directly share their views with government - and the Regulator have forums to ensure that residents\u2019 voices help guide and inform our work. We also have an Expert Challenge Panel, which consults key experts in the sector, including tenant groups. We will continue working to strengthen resident voice and are extending the Resident Panel into 2024/25.<\/p> We are currently inviting views from social housing tenants on the proposals for \u2018Awaab\u2019s Law\u2019 through the live government consultation and will continue to consult tenants on developments in the social housing sector.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4825", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jacob Young"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Redcar"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jacob Young"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-01-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "10371"}
, {"_value" : "10372"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-01-26T15:00:21.707Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: Regulation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department takes to consult tenants on developments in the regulated housing sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "10370"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683441", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683441/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Our charter for social housing residents is clear that every resident can expect to have their voice heard by their landlord. Empowering residents at the local level to hold their landlords to account is at the heart of our new regulatory framework.<\/p> The Regulator of Social Housing has recently consulted on its revised draft consumer standards, one of which is the proposed Transparency, Influence & Accountability standard. This standard will set an expectation that registered providers must take tenants\u2019 views into account in their decision making about how landlord services are delivered. The revised consumer standards will be introduced from 1 April this year.<\/p> We are committed to listening to social housing residents. Both my department - through our Resident Panel which enables residents from across the country to directly share their views with government - and the Regulator have forums to ensure that residents\u2019 voices help guide and inform our work. We also have an Expert Challenge Panel, which consults key experts in the sector, including tenant groups. We will continue working to strengthen resident voice and are extending the Resident Panel into 2024/25.<\/p> We are currently inviting views from social housing tenants on the proposals for \u2018Awaab\u2019s Law\u2019 through the live government consultation and will continue to consult tenants on developments in the social housing sector.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4825", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jacob Young"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Redcar"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jacob Young"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-01-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "10370"}
, {"_value" : "10372"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-01-26T15:00:21.763Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: Regulation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what guidance his Department issues to the regulated housing sector on consultation with tenants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "10371"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683442", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1683442/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Our charter for social housing residents is clear that every resident can expect to have their voice heard by their landlord. Empowering residents at the local level to hold their landlords to account is at the heart of our new regulatory framework.<\/p> The Regulator of Social Housing has recently consulted on its revised draft consumer standards, one of which is the proposed Transparency, Influence & Accountability standard. This standard will set an expectation that registered providers must take tenants\u2019 views into account in their decision making about how landlord services are delivered. The revised consumer standards will be introduced from 1 April this year.<\/p> We are committed to listening to social housing residents. Both my department - through our Resident Panel which enables residents from across the country to directly share their views with government - and the Regulator have forums to ensure that residents\u2019 voices help guide and inform our work. We also have an Expert Challenge Panel, which consults key experts in the sector, including tenant groups. We will continue working to strengthen resident voice and are extending the Resident Panel into 2024/25.<\/p> We are currently inviting views from social housing tenants on the proposals for \u2018Awaab\u2019s Law\u2019 through the live government consultation and will continue to consult tenants on developments in the social housing sector.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4825", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jacob Young"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Redcar"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jacob Young"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-01-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "10370"}
, {"_value" : "10371"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-01-26T15:00:21.81Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: Tenants"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of funding an independent body to represent the interests of tenants in the regulated housing sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "10372"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1680857", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1680857/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This review provides further evidence in support of the decision taken in October to intervene in Birmingham City Council, appointing Commissioners with powers over certain Council functions and issuing Directions that require the Council to take specific actions to the satisfaction of Commissioners. Commissioners will ensure the improvement actions recommended by the review are appropriately incorporated into the Council\u2019s Improvement and Recovery Plan. The review findings are broadly consistent with the lessons about local authority culture and governance we have learned from statutory and non-statutory interventions, and which informed the draft Best Value Statutory Guidance we consulted on last summer and will issue in due course.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4494", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Hoare"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Dorset"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Simon Hoare"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-01-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-01-16T17:01:24.5Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Birmingham City Council"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the independent governance review of Birmingham City Council undertaken by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny in 2023.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "8652"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1680408", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1680408/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 6766<\/a> on 18 December 2023.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4821", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Felicity Buchan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kensington"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Felicity Buchan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-01-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-01-15T12:46:48.737Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Veterans: Sleeping Rough"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many veterans are rough sleepers; how data on veteran rough sleeping is collected; and when that data was last collected.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "8293"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1677494", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1677494/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This government has delivered the most substantive reforms to building safety in nearly 40 years and leaseholders have been given significant legal protections from unfair remediation bills. All residential buildings above 11 metres in England now have a pathway to fix unsafe cladding, either through a taxpayer-funded scheme or through a developer-funded scheme. Following intensive talks with the home-building sector, we have a solution that is seeing industry take responsibility for fixing fire safety defects. Where developers or building owners are not currently funding cladding remediation, the Government has committed £5.1 billion of taxpayer money to ensure that people are safe in their homes.<\/p> The Building Safety Act 2022 created extensive new financial protections for leaseholders in buildings above 11 metres or five storeys with historical safety defects. Responsibility for undertaking remedial works and paying for the works in the majority of cases will rest with the building owner. In turn they can seek to secure funding for required works from those responsible for the defects. Where this is not possible, we expect the freeholders to meet the costs. I refer the Hon Member to my statement of 16 November entitled Building Safety Update (Official Report HC, Volume 740, Column 56WS<\/a>) for further information on the progress made to fix residential buildings over 11 metres with unsafe cladding in England.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4652", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lee Rowley"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Derbyshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lee Rowley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-12-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-12-19T17:30:38.847Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-12-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: Insulation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help support leaseholders affected by dangerous cladding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "6389"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1642759", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1642759/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Retrospective applications must be determined in the same way as any other planning application and there is no guarantee that permission will be granted just because the development has already taken place. We have given local planning authorities the power to decline to determine a retrospective planning application if an enforcement notice has already been issued in relation to any part of the development. We have recently consulted on doubling the fee for retrospective planning applications and an announcement on the outcome will be made in due course.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4668", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachel Maclean"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Redditch"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rachel Maclean"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-06-13T15:06:04.197Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-06-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Planning Permission"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that retrospective planning applications are not overused.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "188178"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1607711", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1607711/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "