Legal News

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has said that the New Housing and Planning Bill introduced to Parliament by the government on Tuesday (13/10/15) marks the start of a national crusade to transform “generation rent” into “generation buy”.

Mr Lewis said that publication of the Bill sent a clear signal that the government would “keep the country building” – while giving hard-working families every opportunity to unlock the door to home ownership.

“As a one nation government, we’re determined that anybody who works hard and aspires to own their own home has the opportunity to do so,” said Mr Lewis.

“More than 230,000 households have been helped into home ownership through government-backed schemes since 2010 – while our extension to the Right to Buy will see a further 1.3 million housing association tenants given the opportunity to own their own home.

“And the Housing Bill will allow us go even further by kick-starting a national crusade to get one million homes built by 2020,” Mr Lewis added.

“It truly is an historic moment that will help deliver the homes hard-working people rightly deserve – transforming generation rent into generation buy.”

The Bill includes a range of measures to help kick-start the government’s house building plans, including new, affordable starter homes – with a legal duty placed on councils to guarantee the provision of 200,000 starter homes on all reasonably-sized new development sites, to be offered to first-time buyers at a 20% discount on market prices.

Local Plans will also provide the government with targeted powers to ensure that all councils get Local Plans in place by 2017 to help provide the homes their communities need.

A Pay to Stay scheme will be introduced for high-earners living in social housing, to ensure that tenants on higher incomes pay a rent that reflects their ability to pay – while those who genuinely need support continue to receive it.

There will also be automatic planning permission in principle on brownfield sites, to bring forward land to build new homes more quickly, while protecting the green belt.

Planning reforms will also support small builders by placing a new duty on councils to help allocate land, so that 20,000 custom and self-build homes a year can be built by 2020.


The Bill also includes measures to tackle rogue landlords, by giving councils the power to blacklist – and, in extreme cases, ban – those who do not abide by the law. There will also be help for reputable landlords in recovering abandoned homes more quickly.

The Bill’s measures also ensure that high-value assets are managed effectively by councils, by ensuring the sale of high-value council assets to support people into home ownership.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of housing solicitors and offers expert help to homebuyers and first-time buyers with competitively priced conveyancing services.

Duncan Lewis is also one of the UK’s leading providers of Legal Aid services and can advise homeowners on issues such as debt management and mortgage repossession.

For expert legal advice on housing law, conveyancing services and mortgage repossession, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 020 7923 4020.