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The BPF response to the DLUHC consultation on introducing a competence and conduct standard into the social housing sector.
Our short response to the 2023 consultation on the Future Homes and Buildings Standards. This draws on our response to the 2021 consultation, which you can find here.
The BPF's response to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities' consultation on strengthening planning policy for brownfield development.
This sets out the BPF’s views on aspects of the draft guidance for local authorities undertaking High Street Rental Auctions, and is a supplementary response to the main consultation response that was submitted via an online survey tool.
Our response to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's (BCBS) on proposed new climate related disclosures for banks we expressed concern that the proposed disclosures could incentivise bank lenders to divest their exposures to 'brown' buildings rather than support their borrowers in decarbonising those buildings. We recommended disclosures instead focus on the extent to which borrowers had plans to decarbonise their properties.
We support the broad policy of encouraging the development of low carbon heat networks, which align with the sector’s net zero ambitions. We do, however, want more transparency and reassurance on cost and quality and want maximum visibility and certainty over the development and roll out of individual heat networks. It will be important that local authorities are sufficiently resourced to deliver any new responsibility and further consideration needs to be given to landlord and tenant issues.
The BPF response to the Government’s second technical consultation on the Building Safety Levy
We welcomed this initiative to boost transparency of land and property ownership through trusts. We stressed the importance of ensuring that the administration and compliance requirements were streamlined and efficient for investors (especially widely held funds); that agencies registering the information had sufficient resources; and that enforcement agencies have sufficient powers to ensure widespread compliance.
We submitted a brief response to broadly welcome the guidance for the new anti-greenwashing rules. It is important for investors to have the ability to make informed decisions and firms should have evidence to back up their sustainability related claims. However, we also noted that it should be reasonable for companies to use widely accepted assessments and certifications as proof of ESG claims – and we would welcome more real estate specific examples in the guidance.
The British Property Federation's submission to Jeremy Hunt MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, ahead of the March Spring Budget. We set out how the property sector can better support key Government priorities, including: growth; housing; stronger town centres; and our green economy.
The BPF's response to the Government’s consultation on capping ground rents as part of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill.
We responded to HMRC’s technical consultation on CIS – which proposes to introduce a VAT compliance test in order to qualify for Gross Payment Status – and also address challenges with withholding tax being applied to landlord tenant contributions for fit out works. The latter is an issue we have lobbied on for some time, and we are pleased that Government have recognised the challenges this withholding tax can put on new tenants seeking to lease new premises. We broadly welcome the draft regulations and suggest a few areas for improvement.