Contributions
397 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDLeaseholders: Service ChargesThe report of the working group chaired by the noble Lord, Lord Best, provided significant evidence of what I call the theft of moneys from leaseholders. These same companies are…20 Jul 2022HANSARDSocial Housing (Regulation) Bill [HL]My Lords, I draw the House’s attention to my role as a vice-president of the Local Government Association and a non-executive director of the Hertfordshire Housing Conference.…27 Jun 2022HANSARDHousing: Private RentersMy Lords, on Monday, in response to my letter about landlords leaving long-term lettings in favour of the more lucrative Airbnb, particularly at a time of increasing demand, the…22 Jun 2022HANSARDPrivate Rented SectorIn that case, may I ask why the Government have frozen the local housing allowance, which was the question I asked, if they have what sounds like a very sincere commitment to…20 Jun 2022HANSARDLeasehold Reform: Forfeiture ProvisionsMy Lords, I look forward to the leasehold reform. Two weeks ago, I attended a meeting of leaseholder residents in a block of retirement flats. It will be no surprise to the…20 Jun 2022HANSARDPrivate Rented SectorI say to the Minister that there is general support across all sectors for these reforms in the White Paper, which we too broadly agree with. In fact, I agree with so much of what…20 Jun 2022HANSARDSocial Homes for RentThe Government’s recent announcement that right to buy is being extended to housing association properties will even further deplete the stock of homes for social rent. Is it now…26 May 2022HANSARDFood Price InflationMy Lords, this is indeed a very weighty and wicked issue. In this House, it behoves us to focus down on the harsh realities of the impact of rising food prices. I do not know…19 May 2022HANSARDLevelling-up ReportI am particularly interested in the aspirations around housing that are implicit throughout the levelling-up agenda. Given the northern consortium’s recent report on the fact that…19 May 2022HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, we on these Benches support the amendments in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Best, to which I have added my name. In view of the hour, I too will be brief, as the two…17 Jan 2022HANSARDHomes: Environmental StandardsDoes the Minister agree that, given the house price variability in the UK, landlords who operate in the lower-income market see this as an investment that will not be returned, as…02 Dec 2021HANSARDPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillMy Lords, I give the support of our Benches to Amendments 320 and the consequential amendment, Amendment 328, to which I have put my name. We also support Amendments 292H and…24 Nov 2021HANSARDLeaseholders: CostsNotwithstanding the Minister’s earlier comments, housing associations and councils too face a challenging situation. Both the LGA and the National Housing Federation have…18 Nov 2021HANSARDLevelling Up White PaperMinister, successive Governments have grappled with this one under various names and the consensus is that they have largely failed. Do the Government recognise that the…15 Nov 2021HANSARDCouncil Tax: Second HomesMinister, this at last is a Cornish/Cumbrian Lib Dem campaign success—I can see the leaflets now. Can he explain why it has taken so long and say when we will get a timetable and…04 Nov 2021HANSARDCouncil Tax: Second HomesTo ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce legislation prohibiting second homes advertised as holiday rentals from avoiding council tax by registering for…04 Nov 2021HANSARDHomes: AffordabilityFollow that. It really is a pleasure to contribute to this debate, initiated by the noble Lord, Lord Bird—the noble Sheriff Bird. I am a real admirer of his. His sense of…28 Oct 2021HANSARDLand Use FrameworkI thank the noble Baroness for bringing forward this debate. If Thursday afternoon debates were a novel, they would certainly not be a bodice-ripper or an edge-of-the-seat…28 Oct 2021HANSARDBuilding Safety Defects: CostsAs has already been stated, social housing providers are having to pick up the bill for all of their properties. These sums are having a significant impact on their budgets and…18 Oct 2021HANSARDSupported Housing: FundingMy Lords, there is genuine concern among councils that there is abuse of the exempt accommodation status, which grants housing run by a supported housing provider additional…14 Sept 2021