Lords debates Social Housing (Regulation) Bill at second reading

The Social Housing (Regulation) Bill aims to facilitate a new, proactive approach to regulating social housing landlords on consumer issues such as safety, transparency and tenant engagement, with new enforcement powers to tackle failing landlords. It aims to drive significant change in landlord behaviour to focus on the needs of their tenants and ensure landlords are held to account for their performance.

Debate on the draft law

Members discussed the main issues in the bill and drew attention to specific areas where they thought amendments (changes) were needed during second reading. Topics covered included:

• ensuring safe and secure homes for tenants
• the supply of social housing
• funding for the new regulatory regime
• improving the energy efficiency of homes. 

Members speaking

Lord Greenhalgh (Conservative), Minister for Building Safety and Fire, opened the debate and responded on behalf of the government.

Members speaking in the debate included:

• Lord Best (Crossbench), Chair, Centre for Social Justice Housing Commission
• Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative), former Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government
• Baroness Thornhill (Liberal Democrat), Liberal Democrat spokesperson for housing
• Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe (Labour), Chair of Board, The Property Ombudsman.

Get involved

Watch and read the debate

Catch up on  Parliament TV or read a transcript in Lords Hansard. 

Explore further information

Read background on the bill in the House of Lords Library Social Housing (Regulation) Bill briefing.

Next steps

Committee stage, the first chance for line by line examination of the bill, is yet to be scheduled.

Image: Unsplash/ Greg Willson