Clause 7 - Contents of sellers' packs
Homes Bill
11:00 am
Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne, Conservative)
I am grateful to the Minister for that clarification. He says that it is not set in stone; it is part of the shifting sands on which this unfortunate edifice is based. It remains to be seen whether his attempts to talk down the extent of properties that can be exempted will chime in with the requirements of Labour Back Benchers. We shall soon find out. Whether it is £5,000, £10,000 or £20,000, whatever figure the Minister eventually settles on, it will be arbitrary. There will be unfairness and problems with the up-to-date nature of valuations. As he accurately said, what we are mainly talking about is properties that have no value, or indeed have a negative value when one tots up the cost of repairs and maintenance, where the market has collapsed.
The Minister has not entirely addressed the stigma argument. He has ruled out postcode blight of the sort expressed by my hon. Friend the Member for East Worthing and Shoreham, and that is right. However, an element of stigma will be attached to these properties if the Department or the Minister decides that their value is £10,000 or less. That in itself will set them out as different from other properties.
The Minister overstated the conclusions of the report into Burnley and Bradford, and the enthusiasm that engendered for the seller's packs. However, these are all useful issues. Like so much in the Bill, this is a continually moving target. On that basis alone, I beg to ask leave of the Committee to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.