Rented Housing
Communities and Local Government

Simon Wright (Norwich South, Liberal Democrat)

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the Housing Act 2004 and related legislation to entitle tenants to be re-housed when they have to leave their home for works to take place which are required of their landlord to comply with a local authority issued improvement notice.

Andrew Stunell (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Communities and Local Government; Hazel Grove, Liberal Democrat)

Statutory guidance already makes it clear that, in serving a prohibition order under the powers in the Housing Act 2004, local authorities should consider the availability of alternative housing for tenants who may need to be re-housed.

The guidance explains that, although in some cases, provision may have been made as part of the relevant tenancy agreement, in general terms, it is unreasonable to expect a private landlord, who may have a very small portfolio of only one or two properties, to re-house a tenant who has been made homeless as a result of the actions of a local authority.

The guidance—‘Housing Health and Safety Rating System, enforcement guidance’—can be found at:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/safetyratingsystem.pdf

We have no plans to review the legislation or the associated guidance.