Housing ombudsman for students
Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Hugo Swire
NC17
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) For the purpose of the investigation of complaints made about landlords by students, there shall be an office of Housing Ombudsman for Students.
(2) The Housing Ombudsman for Students will be appointed by the Secretary of State.
(3) An appropriate code of conduct for the Housing Ombudsman for Students will be established by regulations by the Secretary of State.
(4) The Secretary of State will, by regulation, make provision about the investigation by the Housing Ombudsman for Students of complaints made about landlords by students.
(5) Regulations under subsection (4) will make provision about—
| (a) | the matters about which complaints may be made; |
| (b) | the grounds on which a matter will be excluded from investigation, including that the matter is the subject of court proceedings or was the subject of court proceedings where judgment on the merits was given; |
| (c) | the description of individual who may make a complaint; |
| (d) | a power of the Housing Ombudsman for Students to investigate any complaint made (whether the complaint is subsequently withdrawn or not), and, where he investigates, the making of a determination; |
| (e) | a power of the Housing Ombudsman for Students to propose alternative methods of resolving a dispute; |
| (f) | the powers of the Housing Ombudsman for Students for the purposes of his investigations (including powers to consult and co-operate with other persons), and the procedures to be followed in the conduct of investigations; |
| (g) | the powers of the Housing Ombudsman for Students on making a determination, which may include power— |
| (i) | to make recommendations as to action to be taken to remedy any injustice to the person aggrieved and to prevent any similar injustice being caused in the future, |
| (ii) | to make orders with regard to the payment of compensation or to order that a person is not to exercise, or require the performance of, certain rights or obligations, and |
| (iii) | to publish statements, or to make orders requiring the publication of statements, that a person has failed to comply with an order mentioned in sub-paragraph (ii); |
| (h) | the manner in which determinations are to be— |
| (i) | communicated to the complainant and the person against whom the complaint was made; and |
| (ii) | published (with or without excisions). |
(6) Regulations under this section may contain such supplementary, incidental, consequential or transitional provisions and savings as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
(7) Regulations under this section may make different provision for different cases or descriptions of case.'.
Market Plan for right to buy sales
Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Hugo Swire
NC18
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) To monitor sales resulting from right to buy, local authorities will be required to formulate and publish publicly a yearly marketing plan for right to buy sales.
(2) The marketing plan will include:
| (a) | figures on the number of properties sold through the right to buy scheme in the last 12 months; |
| (b) | a target figure for the number of properties to be sold through the right to buy scheme in the coming 12 months; |
| (c) | plans for how to achieve (b).'. |
Regulations for park homes
Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Hugo Swire
NC19
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) Democratically constituted residents' associations should be recognised by landlords.
(2) The procurement of new homes, supply of energy and capital items associated with individual homes, should be available on open market terms and home owners should not be required to purchase solely from the park owner.
(3) The appropriate national authority may, through secondary legislation, add to the terms of the Mobile Homes Act issuing extra items to the implied terms of the agreement.
(4) The Caravan Sites Act 1968 should be amended to follow the terms of legislation giving protection against harassment and illegal eviction to private rented tenants.
(5) The licensee of the site should meet the relevant fitness standards as set out in section 76.
(6) The relevant local authority sites should be subject to licence conditions where they are currently exempt.'.
Accessible housing registers for the disabled
Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Hugo Swire
NC20
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) Each local housing authority must maintain an "accessible housing register".
(2) The housing register must outline—
| (a) | Current and proposed accessible residential properties in the local authority area (whether purpose-built or adapted) with details of the access features relating to each property; and |
| (b) | The provisions available for disabled people who require accessible housing, |
(3) For the purpose of this section "accessible residential properties" means dwellings, flats and HMOs which provide a reasonable means of access and ease of use for disabled people, or which may be easily adapted to provide such access and ease of use.
(4) The appropriate national authority may give guidance to local housing authorities about exercising their functions under this section.'.
Warm homes
Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Hugo Swire
NC21
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) The appropriate national authority shall issue guidance for the improvement of existing HMOs and the implementation in future housing stock (where possible) of—
| (a) | installation of products manufactured for cavity walls, loft or underfloor insulation, external and internal wall cladding and draft proofing |
| (b) | Greater control of domestic heating systems, low emissivity glazing and efficient fitting of pipes and plumbing. |
(2) The local housing authority should seek to act in accordance with subsection 1 and with the Sustainable Energy Act 2003.'.
Employment agents (gangmasters)
Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Hugo Swire
NC22
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) "Gangmaster" is defined as a person who engages (whether directly, or through his workers or agents) in the supply of an individual ("gang worker") to do work particularly in either
| (a) | the agricultural sector; |
| (b) | packaging or processing consumable produce |
| (c) | the building industry |
| (d) | the catering and hotel sector |
(2) Any such "Gangmaster(s)" engaged in the provision of "gang workers" as outlined in (1) must register their activities and the nature of their activities with the local housing authority, the local constabulary and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, regardless of whether or not they are responsible for the provision of accommodation for "gang workers"
(3) Any "Gangmaster" who is a landlord or who has any commercial connection to the provision of housing for migrant workers, or any associated landlord who is engaged in the provision of accommodation of migrant workers must register details of the workers circumstances with the housing authority to include;
| (a) | The stated nature of their employment |
| (b) | The intended duration of their employment |
| (c) | Their country of origin |
| (d) | The details and addresses of their accommodation |
(4) Any housing stock or appurtenances associated with the activities of "Gangmasters" must be inspected by the local housing authority at least twice yearly.'.
Gypsies and travellers
Mr John Battle
NC23
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) The Housing Act 1996 is amended as follows.
(2) In section 230 (minor definitions: general) there is inserted—
| | "accommodation", "housing" and "housing accommodation" all include accommodation to meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellers; |
"Gypsies and Travellers" means:
| (1) | persons that are members of ethnic groups for whom living in caravans is an integral part of their traditional way of life, including Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers; and/or |
| (2) | persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin. |
(3) In section 2(2), after "hostels,", there is inserted—
| "(d) | caravan sites to be kept available for Gypsies and Travellers.".'. |
Empty homes (management orders)
Mr Charles Kennedy
Sir Menzies Campbell
Mr Edward Davey
Matthew Green
Richard Younger-Ross
Mr Andrew Stunell
NC24
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) The Secretary of State will by order introduce a scheme for empty homes management orders, subject to an affirmative resolution of each House of Parliament.
(2) The Secretary of State shall by regulations prescribe the content of empty homes management orders.'.
Landlord associations and codes of practice
Mr Charles Kennedy
Sir Menzies Campbell
Mr Edward Davey
Matthew Green
Richard Younger-Ross
Mr Andrew Stunell
NC25
To move the following Clause:—
'(1) The Secretary of State may ask one or more bodies representing landlords to draw up a code of practice for his consideration under section 193;
(2) Before exercising his power under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must determine that any such body is itself fit and proper, and is capable and competent to represent the landlords who are its members;
(3) In reaching his determination in subsection (2), the Secretary of State should give particular regard to any training, professional development or accreditation schemes operated by that body for its members.'.
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