Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Accepted
The government’s plans to extend Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard to temporary accommodation...
Recommendation
The government’s plans to extend Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard to temporary accommodation will provide households with stronger protections against hazards and disrepair. However, while we wait for these reforms, the government should focus on ensuring that the protections that already exist are working effectively. This includes ensuring local authorities are delivering their statutory duty to ensure the suitability of temporary accommodation consistently. (Conclusion, Paragraph 26)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government agrees local authorities must deliver their statutory duty regarding suitability of temporary accommodation, stating that current legislation and the Homelessness Code of Guidance already outline requirements for authorities to review housing conditions and ensure accommodation is free of Category 1 hazards.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
24. As set out in the Homelessness Code of Guidance, housing authorities are obliged under section 3 of the Housing Act 2004, to keep housing conditions in their area under review with a view to identifying any action that may need to be taken by them under the Household Health and Safety Ratings System legislation (HHRSRS). The Code states that, when determining the suitability of accommodation secured under homelessness legislation, housing authorities should, as a minimum, ensure that all accommodation is free of Category 1 hazards which pose the most serious harm. 25. We agree that local authorities must deliver their statutory duty to ensure the suitability of temporary accommodation consistently. Good temporary accommodation management will involve inspections as part of wider assessment of suitability prior to placements, and post-placement keeping a household’s needs under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance sets out how housing authorities are required to assess whether accommodation is suitable for each household individually, and case records should demonstrate that they have taken the statutory requirements into account in securing the accommodation. This includes statutory requirements on physical quality.
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