6. Statement by the Minister for Housing and Regeneration: Low Cost Home Ownership

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:29 pm on 1 May 2018.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 5:29, 1 May 2018

Thank you very much for those questions. I'd begin by reflecting on your comments about wage increases and how difficult some people find it in order to get on the housing ladder. Our schemes today do make that easier, but I agree it's not for everybody. So, there will be an important focus from Welsh Government on ensuring that, actually, we have a healthy housing sector right across the piece, and I would start by saying that this involves work with the private rented sector particularly. You'll be aware that we already have Rent Smart Wales up and running, and that's providing assurance that those people who are renting homes to people are sufficiently licensed and have the information that they need in order to be good landlords. 

I've also committed to very shortly be introducing legislation in order to ban fees charged to tenants by letting agents and also committed to working with the sector in order to continue to drive up standards. You'll be aware, also, that we've recently finished consulting on our homes-fit-for-human-habitation standards. So, I'm quite pleased that we are working in a really constructive way with the private rented sector in order to increase and improve the offer that they're able to give, partly because I think the sector is going to become even more important in future for all of the reasons that people have described about how difficult it is for many people to get on the housing ladder—and, actually, not everybody will want to, because they'll have different priorities and different lifestyles that might not mean that they want to be settled down in one particular place. 

So, I think a healthy housing sector across the piece is important. But I would just provide reassurance that we take eligibility and affordability really seriously in terms of the products that we offer. We don't want to set people up to fail in any way. So, we're very keen that people obviously take all of the absolutely important and vital advice that they need. One way in which we are enabling some of that to happen is of course through the accredited conveyancing scheme, which I introduced as part of the package on leasehold reform. That will ensure that people are getting the adequate information they need, not only about leasehold, but are getting the kind of quality advice that they need in order to make that decision as to whether homeownership is right for them.

I completely agree on the importance of financial education, and that is certainly something that we are progressing in schools, particularly through the curriculum reform, but we're not waiting for that. There's also good work already happening as part of our financial inclusion delivery plan, which seeks to ensure that people do leave school with a strong understanding of the important information that they will need simply just to run a home, because, actually, it's a lot more complicated than people often imagine.

On the issue of self-build, I appreciate the comments that you've made today and I'll bear them in mind as we look to develop some further proposals in this area, which I would hope to share with the Chamber in due course.