Housing and Planning Bill — Clause 2 — First Time Buyer Starter Home Discounts to Remain in Perpetuity — 5 Jan 2016 at 22:45

The majority of MPs voted against requiring the discount for those buying a starter home to be passed on to future buyers in perpetuity.

MPs were considering the Housing and Planning Bill^[1]

The amendment rejected in this vote was:

• Amendment 39, page 2, line 25, at end insert—
• ‘(8A) The restrictions on resales and letting at open market value relating to first time buyer starter homes must be in perpetuity.”

An explanatory statement accompanying the rejected amendment^[2] stated:

• The amendment would require the discount to remain in perpetuity.

The rejected clause would have impacted Clause 2 of the Bill^[3] titled What is a starter home? which defined a starter home. The definition included the home being :

• a new dwelling,
• available for purchase by qualifying first-time buyers only,
• sold at a discount of at least 20% of the market value,
• sold for less than the price cap,

The price caps, also set by Clause 2^[2], were £450,000 in Greater London and £250,000 elsewhere. The accompanying definition of qualifying first-time buyer included being a first time buyer under 40 years old.

The rejected amendment appeared to attempt to impose a requirement on the content of regulations made in relation to the clause.

The Bill's provisions in relation to starter homes relate only to England.

==

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Housing and Planning Bill
• [2] House of Commons, Official Record, 5 January 2016
• [3] Clause 2 of the Housing and Planning Bill as at the time of the vote

Debate in Parliament | Source |