renting – The Church of England in Parliament

Votes: Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023: Motion to Regret

On 21st March 2023, Baroness Pinnock tabled a Motion to Regret on the Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. A vote was held on the motion, in which Bishops took part:

Division 1:

The Bishop of Manchester, the Bishop of St Albans, the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and the Bishop of Worcester took part in a vote on Baroness Pinnock’s motion to regret regarding the Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023:

Baroness Pinnock moved that this House regrets that in laying the Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/126) His Majesty’s Government have not published data on the number of landlords who have benefited from an error which allowed landlords to transfer costs of remedying historical building defects on to their leaseholders; further regrets that His Majesty’s Government have no intention to identify leaseholders affected by that error to advise them to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal to recover costs; and calls on His Majesty’s Government to publish these figures in a spirit of transparency and write to those affected with clear guidance on how to recover costs.

The motion was agreed. Content: 185 / Not Content: 138.

The Bishop of Manchester, the Bishop of St Albans, the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and the Bishop of Worcester voted Content.

Hansard

Bishop of St Albans supports motion to regret on Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) Regulations

The Bishop of St Albans spoke in support of a motion to regret relating to leaseholder protection tabled by Baroness Pinnock on 21st March 2023:

‘That this House regrets that in laying the Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (SI 2023/126) His Majesty’s Government have not published data on the number of landlords who have benefited from an error which allowed landlords to transfer costs of remedying historical building defects on to their leaseholders; further regrets that His Majesty’s Government have no intention to identify leaseholders affected by that error to advise them to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal to recover costs; and calls on His Majesty’s Government to publish these figures in a spirit of transparency and write to those affected with clear guidance on how to recover costs.’

The motion was agreed.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I shall add a few words of support for the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock. I stand with a weary sense of déjà vu, looking around at a number of people with whom I have sat as we have worked through building safety and fire safety measures.

What is interesting is that the Government fundamentally tried to grasp this problem. I pay tribute to the right honourable Michael Gove, who has been quite exceptional in taking hold of it and trying to solve it. I say well done to the Government for shifting the main problem in this very troubling area.

Bishop of Exeter asks about private rented housing in rural areas

The Bishop of Exeter asked a question on the issue of privately rented accommodation in the south-west being bought up as Airbnbs, during a debate on conditions in the rented housing sector on 16th March 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: My Lords, there is an important rural dimension to this issue. In north Devon, the vast majority of privately rented property has been turned into Airbnb, creating a crisis in rural housing. Does the Minister think that the ability of local authorities to levy council tax is sufficiently robust to tackle this problem? If not, what plans do His Majesty’s Government have to legislate to address this problem, which is escalating every day?

Bishop of London asks about preventing homelessness for at-risk renters

The Lord Bishop of London asked a question about government support for renters at risk of homelessness during a debate on the Renters Reform Bill on 22nd November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, rents in London are up to double the level of rents elsewhere in the UK. Crisis has warned that the number of people sleeping rough in London has risen by a quarter in just one year, and more than half of those spotted on the streets are sleeping rough for the first time. What are the Government doing to prevent those who are struggling to pay their increasing rents from falling into homelessness?

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about affordable housing, housebuilding, and renters’ reform

The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answers on 2nd November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of raising the threshold at which affordable housing quotas apply, from developments of 10 houses to developments of (1) 40, and (2) 50 houses, on the creation of affordable housing stock.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con): In August 2020, HMG consulted on raising the threshold at which affordable housing contributions are required from 10 units to 40 or 50 units. This was proposed as part of the ‘Changes to the Current Planning System’.

Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asks about Renters Reform Bill

The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham received the following written answer on 31st October 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham asked His Majesty’s Government when they plan to introduce the Renters Reform Bill; and, given the increase in mortgage costs may lead to tenants spending longer in rented accommodation, what consideration they have given to bringing forward their timetable for seeking to get the Bill passed.

Bishop of Chelmsford asks about private rented housing

The Bishop of Chelmsford received the following written answers on 5th September 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford asked Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish a response to their consultation Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, which closed on 8 January 2021.

Bishop of St Albans asks about private renting

The Bishop of St Albans asked the following question during a debate on the private rented sector on 20th June 2022:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I welcome many of the reforms. However, have Her Majesty’s Government made any sort of formal economic assessment as to whether these protections will do anything to address the higher costs of private rented accommodation, which can so often drive people to social housing? If not, can they assure this House that there will be sufficient affordable social accommodation for those who really need it?

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