Every parliamentary written question tabled by Helen Grant this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–7 of 7 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that property management companies (a) accurately relay charges to customers, (b) respond to correspondence within reasonable timeframes and (c) do not add administrative charges without explanation.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 38576 on 24 March 2025 and Question 37829 on 20 March 2025.
Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the adequacy of the service provided by First Port property management.
The government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents.Legislation is currently enforced by local authorities and by the National Trading Standards’ Lettings and Estate Agency Team, who have the power to issue warnings and banning orders to rogue estate and letting agents.The previous government committed to regulate the property agent sector in 2018 and asked a working group chaired by Lord Best to advise them on how best to do it.However, they failed to respond to the recommendations set out in the working group’s 2019 Regulation of Property Agents: working group report which can be found on gov.uk here.Managing agents play a key role in the maintenance of multi-occupancy buildings and freehold estates, and their importance will only increase as we transition toward a commonhold future. As a result, we are looking again at the 2019 report.As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government have made clear it intends to strengthen regulation of managing agents to drive up the standard of their service. As a minimum, this should include mandatory professional qualifications which set a new basic standard that managing agents will be required to meet. We will consult on this matter this year.We will set out our full position on regulation of estate, letting and managing agents in due course.
Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps through the National Planning Policy Framework to support local authorities with assessing the cumulative impact of multiple planning applications on (a) s
The National Planning Policy Framework sets an expectation that the provision of local services is to be taken into account when planning for development.Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and iden...
Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help support local authorities to meet social housing demand.
The Deputy Prime Minister outlined the early steps we are taking to deliver the biggest boost to social and affordable housing for a generation in her written statement made on 30 July 2024 (HCWS48). More announcements will be made in due course.
Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that infrastructure is improved before housing developments are proposed in the South East.
As set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner.Local planning authorities are required to plan for infrastructure delivery as part of plan-making and report on their use of developer contributions in Infrastructure Funding Statements.The Government will keep the provision of local infrastructure under review, including when considering revisions to national planning policy.
Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that housing targets do not adversely impact the green belt.
Housing targets are an important tool to ensure housing is delivered in the right places – this is critical in tackling the chronic shortage that the country is facing that means owning a home is a distant reality for much of the public.We cannot local a generation out of homeownership, we must build the homes the next generation needs.As set out in the manifesto, the Government will restore mandatory housing targets. We will reverse the damaging changes introduced in December 2023 that undermine our growth ambitions and commitment to delivering 1.5 million homes. We will set out more detail in the forthcoming National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) update.We will take a brownfield first approach, prioritising the development of previously used land wherever possible and fast-tracking approval of urban brownfield sites.Brownfield alone will never be enough to build the homes we need– which is why we will look to lower quality ‘grey belt’ land where necessary to meet local housing needs.By enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built – the major brakes on the planning system will be addressed to support sustainable growth.We are working at pace on various revisions to the NPPF, with a view to public consultation on a new draft Framework in due course.
Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to protect the greenbelt in Maidstone and Malling constituency.
Housing targets are an important tool to ensure housing is delivered in the right places – this is critical in tackling the chronic shortage that the country is facing that means owning a home is a distant reality for much of the public.We cannot local a generation out of homeownership, we must build the homes the next generation needs.As set out in the manifesto, the Government will restore mandatory housing targets. We will reverse the damaging changes introduced in December 2023 that undermine our growth ambitions and commitment to delivering 1.5 million homes. We will set out more detail in the forthcoming National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) update.We will take a brownfield first approach, prioritising the development of previously used land wherever possible and fast-tracking approval of urban brownfield sites.Brownfield alone will never be enough to build the homes we need– which is why we will look to lower quality ‘grey belt’ land where necessary to meet local housing needs.By enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built – the major brakes on the planning system will be addressed to support sustainable growth.We are working at pace on various revisions to the NPPF, with a view to public consultation on a new draft Framework in due course.