Briefings and responses

The LGA wants to see a locally-led fully funded oversight and enforcement regime for exempt accommodation within a strengthened national regulatory framework. This should include a requirement for all exempt accommodation providers to be Registered Providers. This will ensure that councils’ responses can be tailored to the challenges they face and the contexts of local housing markets and demand.

As we highlighted to the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, councils have been concerned for some time now that a minority of exempt accommodation providers operating across the country fall short in providing good quality, personalised support for people in vulnerable circumstances.

While we welcome the measures in the Bill, we have significant concerns about the capacity of councils’ housing teams to undertake all of the new responsibilities that are proposed. It will be vital for Government to fully fund the measures for them to be effective.

The LGA broadly welcomes the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill, which would make provision about the regulation of supported exempt accommodation; make provision about local authority oversight of, and enforcement powers relating to, the provision of supported exempt accommodation; and for connected purposes.

Despite welcome new funding announced in the 2022 Autumn Statement, a combination of sharply increasing cost and demand pressures means that the sector is in a parlous financial position. Much-valued services, frequently focused on the most vulnerable in society, are under pressure and at risk. Additional government support is needed urgently to ensure local financial and service sustainability.

We have argued for the Bill to go further in supporting tenants’ rights and providing stronger regulatory and enforcement powers, and for government to ensure sufficient funding councils to enforce these measures and fully realise our shared ambition for a fairer, more secure, and higher quality PRS.

The LGA welcomes the long-awaited Renters’ Reform Bill which will help to deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher quality private rented sector (PRS). The Bill introduces a range of reforms to achieve this, including abolishing unfair Section 21 “no fault” evictions; ending the system of assured shorthold tenancies; creating a new register of PRS landlords and property portal to improve data on the PRS and drive up standards across the sector; and establishing an Ombudsman for the PRS to help tenants and landlords to resolve disputes.

The LGA welcomes the long-awaited Renters’ Reform Bill which introduces a range of reforms to achieve this, including abolishing unfair Section 21 'no fault' evictions; ending the system of assured shorthold tenancies; creating a new register of PRS landlords and property portal to improve data on the PRS and drive up standards across the sector; and establishing an Ombudsman for the PRS to help tenants and landlords to resolve disputes.

This briefing provides the LGA view on relevant amendments tabled by the Government on 15 November.

The key announcements of relevance to local government in the 2022 Queen's Speech, the LGA’s initial view of the proposals and the implications for councils.