PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Shared Ownership Schemes: Insulation (19 January 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what responsibilities housing associations have for shared ownership properties which have cladding and insulation non-compliant with regulatory requirements.

Asked by:
Fleur Anderson (Labour)

Existing shared owners have a full repairing lease and are financially responsible for all maintenance charges and outgoings, in the same way as any other homeowner. We have introduced a new model for Shared Ownership which will include a 10 year period during which the landlord will support with the cost of repairs in new build homes, and this will help to bridge the gap between renting and homeownership. Further, Government guidance is clear that building safety is the responsibility of building owners including housing associations.

We recognise that there are many cases where leasehold agreements will allow building owners to pass remediation costs on to leaseholders, including those participating in shared ownership schemes. That is why the Government is accelerating work on a long-term solution which will help to protect leaseholders. We will update on this work as soon as we are in a position to do so.

Answered by:
Christopher Pincher (Independent)
25 January 2021