JONATHAN ROLANDE: Can the Government deliver on King's Speech promises?

NOBODY does pomp and ceremony like us Brits and, wow, it was on full display in Westminster last week.

Despite the prestige that surrounds the King’s Speech in the end the devil comes in the detail.

We knew much of what was coming ahead of Wednesday’s announcements.

After all, the Prime Minister had made it his roadmap to power - and now he must deliver on it.  So there were few surprises.

But, nevertheless, the King did outline a wide range of things that will now have a direct and potentially profound impact on our industry.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill for instance will, if effectively implemented, help unlock housing and infrastructure across the country and support sustained economic growth.

The Bill seeks to make improvements to the planning system at a local level, and aims to modernise planning committees. It also aims to increase local planning authorities’ capacity to deliver an improved service.

Here’s the problem though. The mainstream media, in particular, like to parrot the narrative that Britain’s housing crisis is linked to NIMBYs and planning applications getting rejected.

This actually isn’t true. In reality the majority of applications for major building projects are now being approved. And the powers of local authorities to prevent projects going ahead is reducing - not growing. The real and under-reported issue is the fact that house builders aren’t building enough properties. The reasons for that are multiple and complex.

Do some building firms want to keep house prices as high as possible? Maybe.

Do some lack the confidence to commit to major projects. Definitely.

Do we need a more focused approach on how we will encourage these firms to start building? Absolutely.

Unless or until this is properly addressed we have no chance of fixing our broken housing system.

Labour also announced expected reforms to the leasehold system, including enacting remaining Law Commission recommendations which relate to leasehold enfranchisement and the Right to Manage.

This will seek to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents. Ministers also hope to try and remove what they describe as a 'disproportionate and draconian' threat of forfeiture. They will take steps to reinvigorate commonholds too through a comprehensive new framework. This aims to ban the sale of new leasehold flats so that commonhold becomes the default tenure.

In addition, the Government will implement the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 so that leaseholders can benefit from more rights, power and protections over their homes.

The King also had good news for cats and dogs. The Government is giving tenants the right to request a pet, which landlords must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse. Landlords however will be able to request insurance to cover potential damage from pets if needed.

The Government insists the bill will give tenants much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.

Although organisations representing tenants and leaseholders have - rightly - heralded this as a key step forward, it will, I fear, discourage many landlords from entering the sector. It is also likely to hasten the exodus of those already in the sector. How bad it will be remains to be seen.

One part of the Bill I was pleased to see was the application of ‘Awaab’s Law’ to the sector, setting clear legal expectations about the time frames within which landlords in the private rented sector must make homes safe where they contain serious hazards. This is an important and landmark step for which the Government should only be applauded.

There were also other areas of the King’s Speech which are relevant to our sector.

Announcements on the changes in VAT for private schools may, some say, lead to house prices rising in some areas. I’m sceptical about that, but time will tell.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill, Respect Orders will be introduced as a new tool to tackle persistent offenders.

Neighbourhood policing will be revived, and there will be a duty for local partners to work together to tackle issues. This can surely only be good news for areas where crime rates are impacting prices.

The Devolution Bill is relevant too. England is one of the most centralised economies in the world and has some of the highest levels of geographic inequality. Westminster recognises it does not have the local knowledge, capacity, and flexibility needed to take advantage of every opportunity available.

By making it easier to transfer powers back to local authorities, it is hoped mayors and Combined Authorities may now be able to deliver on issues including strategic planning, housing, and local infrastructure - in a quicker way.

The Bill also includes provisions for a ‘right to buy’ for community assets, that will enable local councils to acquire empty shops, pubs, and community spaces to revamp struggling high streets.

That looks and sounds great on paper to me.

But the devil, as ever, is in the details.

Time to deliver and get on with the job.

Jonathan Rolande is the founder of House Buy Fast www.housebuyfast.co.uk