Insurance Register must be free to use to help rental sector - ARLA

ARLA Propertymark has responded to the Scottish Parliament’s examination of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill, calling for clarity on contributions relating to remediation work.

Giving its views to the parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, the trade body says the cladding insurance register should be free to use and widely accessible to support renting and home buying and selling.

The Bill gives powers to Scottish Ministers to assess and remediate certain types of buildings with unsafe cladding. Scottish Ministers will need to record these assessments and any remediation works completed in a cladding insurance register.

MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee sought views on the details of the proposals as part of their examination of the Bill.

Propertymark highlighted a number of areas in its response to the Committee that must be addressed:

- Ensuring that the cladding assurance register is freely available and easy to access;

- Maximising protections for those living in multi-occupied buildings by limiting their contributions to remediation works;

- Providing clarity on remediation requirements on buildings constructed or where unsafe cladding was introduced prior to 1 June 1992 and after 1 June 2022;

- Providing clarity on financial protections for owners of flats, including homeowners and landlords who let these properties;

- Ensuring more support for residents and landlords when a building is required to be evacuated. The current proposal for 14 days’ notice is insufficient and should be extended;

- Clarifying the contribution to which developers are expected to make within the Responsible Developer Scheme, including any financial support provided by the Scottish Government; and  

- Provide additional clarity on the professionals or organisations in charge of assessing buildings and providing certificates, including where factors (managing agents) fit into this process. 

Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, says: “The Scottish Government’s Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Bill is a step in the right direction but there are many questions that need answered – including the impact of a chargeable register on the ability for people to access rented accommodation and buy and sell homes as well as the ability for people to fund remediation costs. 

“Furthermore, under proposals for an evacuation notice, Scottish Ministers must ensure that replacement accommodation is provided, and agents and their landlords in particular know how they will re-house tenants. A longer notice period would be beneficial to ensure tenants can be provided alternative accommodation and additional support is made available.”