Clause 3 - Duties of responsible person where a property is on the market
Homes Bill
11:00 am
Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington, Liberal Democrat)
I support the amendments. If the seller's packs will be as useful and in as much demand as we are told, they will sell themselves and become common in the industry. They will become best practice, so I do not understand the need for fines.
It appears that the Government intend to introduce a list of exceptions. They have already suggested that, for technical reasons, it will be acceptable for certain parts of the seller's packs to be unavailable. By making their use mandatory but allowing technical exceptions they are opening many avenues for challenge. Perhaps doing away with fines and introducing seller's packs on a voluntary basis might simplify matters with respect to the possibility of legal challenge.
Finally, will the Minister would clarify the upper limit of a level 5 fine?