A better place to live
Housing and regeneration minister Carl Sargeant explains his proposals
Last November, i was delighted to introduce Wales’ first ever housing bill setting out an ambitious programme of action to make Wales a better place to live.
This wide-ranging legislation is an important part of our work to ensure everyone in Wales can access a decent, affordable home.
The Bill followed extensive consultation and while there will be many more opportunities for discussion as the proposals are scrutinised by Assembly committees, I am pleased to hear a wide range of organisations already voicing their support.
This article is timely as it gives me an opportunity to clarify some aspects of the Bill which appear to be subject to some misunderstanding.
The proposals aimed at improving standards in private rented housing are a crucial part of this Government’s goal of ensuring that everyone in Wales has a decent home. The concerns voiced by some that the proposals will unduly burden landlords are unfounded.
After studying what has been done other countries and learning from their experience, we are taking a light touch approach that strikes a balance between measures that will improve the sector for landlords and measures which will benefit tenants too.
Comparing the proposals on private rented homes to the licensing of homes in multiple occupation is not helpful. The Bill is about the registration and licensing of landlords and property agents and not the licensing of individual properties, which is what HMO licensing covers.
The registration and licensing process will be simple and easy to access. A ‘one-stop’ facility, administered centrally by one local authority, will allow landlords to register all properties in Wales, with a uniform fee applied across the whole country. The Bill also includes measures to tackle homelessness and puts in place a fairer system for prisoners in need. The proposals are radical, putting the prevention of homelessness for anyone who is at risk of homelessness on a statutory basis for the first time in the UK.
The Bill will allow local authorities to retain the intentionality test or to remove the test for some or all priority need groups. This will enable them to remove the test where they feel that local circumstances allow for a more inclusive approach.
The Bill also places a duty on local authorities to provide sites for Gypsy and Traveller communities where there is a need. Authorities will be encouraged to improve their regional working by working with neighbouring authorities both within Wales and across the English border.
The proposals regarding the council tax charge for empty properties have been generally welcomed as a practical way of encouraging owners of empty homes to bring them back into use. However, there are differences of opinion about how much extra council tax should be levied.
Finally, the Bill will play a part in increasing the supply of housing. Provisions such as the council tax premium on empty homes, enabling more co-operative housing, and the duty on local authorities to provide sites for Gypsies and Travellers where a need exists, will all increase the supply of homes.
But legislation is only part of the picture. We are taking a wide range of other action to increase supply. This includes the Help to Buy Wales scheme, which will support the purchase of 5,000 new homes across Wales, and the provision of £370 million of Social Housing Grant during this term of Government. Housing has also been at the forefront of innovation in finance, with the Housing Finance Grant providing £120 million to help fund the building of more than 1,000 affordable homes.
In addition, our Smaller Properties Programme is investing £40 million to build more one and two bedroom homes and improvements in our planning system will deliver growth in homes, jobs and infrastructure. And, I look forward to receiving the report from my Housing Supply Task Force shortly.
In conclusion, I am heartened by the support voiced by organisations across Wales. I look forward to working with all interested parties in the coming months and am confident that working together the Housing Bill will make Wales a better place to live for everyone.