The Government sees the risk of landlords circumventing this legislation by acquiring bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation as low and is unaware of any cases of it. It is not unlawful for landlords to change from being an HMO landlord to a B&B provider. Landlords would simply be changing from one arrangement to another, and would have to abide by the appropriate framework accordingly.<\/p>
A small number of landlords who are rogue or criminal, knowingly rent out unsafe and substandard accommodation, including outbuildings. This is not specific to HMO regulation, but a wider issue about substandard accommodation upon which we are determined to crackdown.<\/p>
The Housing & Planning Act 2016 introduced a range of measures to deal with such landlords and they were implemented in 2017. Measures include: banning orders for the most serious and prolific offenders; civil penalties of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution; and extension of Rent Repayment Orders to cover illegal eviction, breach of a banning order or failure to comply with a statutory notice.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Brokenshire"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Old Bexley and Sidcup"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Brokenshire"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-07T11:45:48.913Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Multiple Occupation: Licensing"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the level of risk of landlords bypassing rules licensing houses in multiple occupation by (a) acquiring bed and breakfast accommodation and (b) using outbuildings to house tenants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/400", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Healey"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wentworth and Dearne"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Healey"} ], "uin" : "186181"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999125", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999125/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government\u2019s priority is to ensure that residents of high-rise (above 18 metres) buildings with unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding systems are, and feel, safe. We work closely with local authorities and fire and rescue services to ensure that interim safety measures are in place to ensure residents are safe for any buildings which have been identified as having potentially dangerous ACM cladding systems. Officials continue to engage with developers, building owners and managing agents with responsibility for buildings with unsafe ACM cladding systems to ensure that they are fully remediated as quickly as possible. We have written to all relevant private sector building owners reminding them of their responsibilities towards making their buildings safe, including reminding them that local authorities have powers to enforce these improvements if building owners do not take action.<\/p>
A ministerially-chaired taskforce is overseeing the remediation of private sector buildings with unsafe ACM cladding systems and a joint expert inspection team will support local authorities in ensuring and, where necessary, enforcing remediation of private sector high-rise residential buildings with unsafe ACM cladding systems. To support the work of the inspection team, Government has made further funding available up to £1 million.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Brokenshire"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Old Bexley and Sidcup"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Brokenshire"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-08T11:12:12.86Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: 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 Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of privately owned tower blocks which have dangerous cladding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/400", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Healey"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wentworth and Dearne"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Healey"} ], "uin" : "186182"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999146", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999146/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Rough Sleeping Initiative comprises a team of expert advisers who work closely with local areas to support their work to help people off the streets. Through this interaction we are able to monitor the progress of rough sleeping responses and support local authorities in obtaining a more detailed picture of rough sleeping in their area. The annual statistical release, based on street counts and estimates by all local authorities each autumn, allows us to assess the extent of rough sleeping across England.<\/p>