Housing and Planning Bill 2015–16: Briefing for Lords Stages

This Government Bill includes the following provisions:

• Housing: The creation of new duties requiring local housing authorities to promote the supply of starter homes and support self-built and custom-houses.
• Rogue Landlords: The establishment of banning orders against rogue landlords and property agents.
• Right to Buy: The extension of the ‘right to buy’ to housing association tenants.
• Housing Stock: Measures intended to encourage local housing authorities to sell vacant high-value housing stock.
• Higher-income Tenants: The introduction of different levels of rent for higher-income tenants in social housing.
• Social Housing Regulation: Measures intended to reduce social housing regulation.
• Secure Tenancies: The phasing out of secure tenancies for life for social housing tenants.
• Neighbourhood Planning and Local Plans: Changes to the planning system, including measures intended to promote the use of neighbourhood planning and local plans.
• Brownfield Sites: Measures to encourage the use of brownfield sites.

Report Stage

During report stage on 5 January and 12 January 2016, a number of amendments were moved that were not successful. This included an attempt by the Opposition to place a duty on landlords to ensure that properties let were fit for habitation and to prevent the phasing out of secure tenancies for life.

English Votes for English Laws

This Bill was also the first to be considered under the new House of Commons ‘English Votes for English Laws’ procedure for bills certified as including provisions affecting England and England and Wales only.

Following completion of its Commons stages, it was introduced in the House of Lords on 13 January 2016. The Bill is scheduled for second reading debate on 26 January 2016.