Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Acknowledged
Mandate local authorities to conduct mandatory temporary accommodation inspections and publish annual reports.
Recommendation
Some local authorities are not taking sufficient account of the needs of children and families when making decisions on temporary accommodation placements. Many local authorities do not carry out any regular inspections of the conditions in the accommodation they use to house families. This is unacceptable. (Conclusion, Paragraph 26) The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government must require all local authorities in England to carry out mandatory inspections of housing before it is first used as temporary accommodation, and whenever new residents are placed in the property. All local authorities should publish annual reports online to set out an overview of the main findings of these 43 inspections. The Government should provide additional funding, in line with the new burdens doctrine, to local authorities to ensure that they can carry out and report on these inspections. (Recommendation, Paragraph 26) Bed & Breakfast temporary accommodation
Government response summary AI-generated
The government stated it would consider strengthening the Homelessness Code of Guidance regarding safeguarding considerations for temporary accommodation placements and develop toolkits and practical guidance for placement management, but did not commit to mandatory inspections or additional funding.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
11. There are legal requirements, guidance and redress routes in place for temporary accommodation. 12. We are already taking action on the issues raised by this recommendation. Through the Renters’ Rights Bill the Government is introducing powers to apply the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) to the private rented sector and a power to bring temporary accommodation into scope of the DHS. The Government’s intention is that the Decent Homes Standard should apply to temporary accommodation, subject to consultation on the detail of the new standard, including how applicable it is to temporary accommodation. This consultation will look at appropriate enforcement mechanisms to ensure standards are being applied across local authorities’ temporary accommodation stock. Bed & Breakfast temporary accommodation
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