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Written question asked by Baroness King of Bow (Labour) on Tuesday, 1 February 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 4 February 2005. It was answered by Keith Hill (Labour) on Friday, 4 February 2005 on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Question
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what advice his Department has issued on (a) the groups of local authority leaseholders who should not be recharged their full share of the cost of capital works on their blocks and (b) the loan and repayment options that should be made available to local authority leaseholders re-charged for their share of the cost of capital works on their blocks. - Inc ref to guidance placed in Library.
Answer

Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advice his Department has issued on (a) the groups of local authority leaseholders who should not be recharged their full share of the cost of capital works on their blocks and (b) the loan and repayment options that should be made available to local authority leaseholders re-charged for their share of the cost of capital works on their blocks. [214047] Keith Hill: In February 1997, the then Department of the Environment issued the Social Landlords Discretionary Reduction of Service Charges (England) Directions 1997 and the Social Landlords Mandatory Reduction of Service Charges (England) Directions 1997. These allow, and in specified circumstances require, local authorities and other social landlords to reduce service charges levied on owners of leasehold flats for repairs, maintenance and improvement carried out to their homes. Guidance to local authorities and other social landlords on reducing service charges to their leaseholders was issued at the same time. Copies of the Directions and the guidance note have been placed in the Library of the House. The Department issued the Housing (Service Charge Loans) Regulations 1992 giving tenants of flats a right to a loan in respect of service charges for repairs, where the lease was granted under the Right to Buy scheme. The repayment periods for the amounts secured by loans are included in the Regulations. The Regulations were amended by the Housing (Service Charge Loans) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2000. These allowed local authorities to set their own interest rates for discretionary loans. Copies of both sets of Regulations have been placed in the Library of the House. The information booklets for tenants: "Your right to buy your home" and "Thinking of buying a council flat?" published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its predecessors both refer to the right to a loan.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
430 c1169-70W; 214047
Session
2004-05
Related items
Deposited Paper DEP2008-0574
Friday, 4 February 2005
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects
Costs Capital investment Leasehold Loans Social rented housing Repayments Repairs and maintenance
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk