Nick Raynsford, MP for Greenwich and Woolwich and a former Housing Minister has accused Grant Shapps MP, of a flagrant breach of an undertaking given in parliament that two year terms for new flexible tenancies would only apply in exceptional circumstances. 

In a debate in Westminster Hall on 28^th June, Grant Shapps said “I am being clear in all our language and in the tenancy standards that we will put in place, that two years is to be considered an exceptional circumstance, and that at least five years would be the norm.”

When challenged in that debate by Nick Raynsford MP, on why the Government had not accepted amendments to the Localism Bill to give effect to this intention, Shapps replied, “Quite simply because we have said we will include it in the tenancy regulations”

But in a letter sent on 5^th July to Jeremy Lefroy MP, who initiated the 28^th June debate, Grant Shapps now writes: “For clarity, I should now like to put on the record that it is not our intention that we should direct the social housing regulator to set a tenure standard requiring social landlords to use a two year tenancy only in exceptional circumstances.”

Nick Raynsford has now written to Shapps, pointing out that this is a flagrant breach of an understanding given in a parliamentary debate and calling on the Minister to explain to the House of Commons why he has broken his promise. He added, “This is not just a disgraceful breach of his own promise, but a further illustration of the government’s cynical betrayal of the interests of tenants.”