A brief summary of current government consultations of potential interest to RSN members. This is not intended as an exhaustive list of all relevant consultations.

- Download a printable version of the Government Consultations here

Council tax valuation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) – Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), as with all domestic properties, are given a council tax band by the Valuation Office Agency. The government wishes to consider whether the existing arrangements provide the appropriate certainty and consistency in the way that HMOs are banded for council tax, or whether alternative arrangements should be introduced.

This consultation seeks views on the scope of the issue, the current landscape for the valuation of HMOs and the government’s proposals to achieving these objectives.

This consultation closes on 31 March 2023.

Council tax valuation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Revised directions to Regulator of Social Housing: Tenant Involvement and Mutual Exchange – Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities

This consultation seeks views on proposed Directions from the Secretary of State to the Regulator of Social Housing, using powers under section 197 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (“the 2008 Act”).

The Social Housing White Paper included a commitment to introduce a proactive consumer regulation regime. Government have reviewed the existing directions covering tenant involvement and mutual exchange to ensure they are suitable for the new regulatory framework.

The Secretary of State has the power to direct the Regulator on certain aspects of its regulatory standards. This consultation proposes revoking the ‘Tenant involvement and empowerment’ and ‘Mutual exchange’ paragraphs of the Directions on Regulatory Standards, and issuing new directions relating to tenant involvement and mutual exchange.

This consultation closes on 30 March 2023.

Revised directions to Regulator of Social Housing: Tenant Involvement and Mutual Exchange - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Calculating holiday entitlement for part-year and irregular hours workers – Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Government are consulting on the calculation of holiday entitlement received by part-year and irregular hours workers, following the recent Supreme Court judgment in Harpur Trust v Brazel.

In the consultation they propose to introduce a holiday entitlement reference period for part-year and irregular hours workers, to ensure that their holiday pay and entitlement is directly proportionate to the time they spend working.

They also want to understand how entitlement is currently calculated for agency workers and how the consultation proposal might be implemented.

This consultation closes on 9 March 2023.

Calculating holiday entitlement for part-year and irregular hours workers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Improving boiler standards and efficiency – Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

This consultation seeks views on a range of topics, including:

• proposals to improve boiler and heating system efficiency through improvements to minimum standards
• proposals to mandate that from 2026 all newly-installed gas boilers are ‘hydrogen-ready’
• the potential role of gas boiler-electric heat pump hybrids in heat decarbonisation in the 2020s and 2030s

These proposals aim to reduce domestic gas consumption, thereby lowering consumer bills and carbon emissions, improving our energy security, and preparing for the transition to low-carbon heating.

Government would like views from consumers, installers, manufacturers and wider industry. This consultation closes on 21 March 2023.

Improving boiler standards and efficiency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Climate change adaptation reporting power: plans for the fourth round – Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

The government is consulting on the approach to the fourth round of reporting under the Adaptation Reporting Power (ARP4 Strategy). They want to gather views from infrastructure operators and public bodies. We are asking about:

• the usefulness of reporting
• how to improve on this for future rounds
• what should be contained in the next strategy to benefit reporting organisations and government

The central proposal is to change the timing of round 4. This is so that it can better inform future statutory UK Climate Change Risk Assessments and National Adaptation Programmes. We also want to streamline the reporting requirements.

This consultation closes on 5 April 2023.

Climate change adaptation reporting power: plans for the fourth round - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)