Making Homes Happen Date: 1 April 2021 Our Ref: RFI3303 Tel: 0300 1234 500 Email: [email protected]
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Making homes happen Date: 1 April 2021 Our Ref: RFI3303 Tel: 0300 1234 500 Email: [email protected] Windsor House By Email Only Homes England – 6th Floor 50 Victoria Street London SW1H 0TL Dear RE: Request for Information – RFI3303 Thank you for your request for information, which was processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). You requested the following information: Can you provide me with a list of the developers that use H2B schemes in the UK and where they rank in regard to number of units sold using the scheme? As I understand it around 50% of H2B sales are by the top 6 developers, a further breakdown would be very helpful. If you also hold information on the properties sold eg number of bedrooms that would be fantastic. We asked for clarification regarding your request as follows: • Would you like data on: a) builders who had a full contract and an approved forecast for 2019/20 and/or 2020/21 ie. “registered”. This would not be based on developers who have taken a reservation or completed on a HTB sale or builders or who have had a contract for other years in the programme, or b) a list of builders who have actually completed a HTB sale? • Time period you would like this information for (is it only open/active years or since the scheme’s inception in 2013?) • Ranking – we currently rank our developers each year by number of units sold over the previous 2-year period and as such we will need further clarity if this method will suffice. In addition, what further breakdown would you require? • With regard to the number of bedrooms can you advise if you would like this information as an aggregated total (all developers) or if against each developer. You provided clarification as follows: 1. I would like data on both A and B please. 2. Since the schemes inception if you can break it down by year. If this is not available I would like the data for 2018/2019/2020 3. Yes your ranking methodology will suffice. Re further information, as mentioned I would like to see the make up of the units sold eg number of bedrooms. 4. If you could provide a breakdown of number of bedrooms per developer please. OFFICIAL Making homes happen Date: 1 April 2021 Our Ref: RFI3303 Tel: 0300 1234 500 Email: [email protected] Response We can confirm that we do hold the requested information. We will address each of your points in turn. Please note that we only hold information on bedroom size for developers who have completed HTB sales. Please find attached the following annexes: - Annex A: a list of registered HTB developers in the UK for 2017-2018 - Annex B: a list of registered HTB developers in the UK for 2018-2019 - Annex C: a list of registered HTB developers in the UK for 2019-2020 - Annex D: a list of developers who have completed sales with percentage of bedrooms per developer for 2017-2018 - Annex E: a list of developers who have completed sales with percentage of bedrooms per developer for 2018-2019 - Annex F: a list of developers who have completed sales with percentage of bedrooms per developer for 2019-2020 Please note that within Annexes D, E and F where there are developers with only a small amount of completions the figure appears as 0%. This is due to the way in which the information is held and has been extracted from our systems as the percentage is calculated from the number of completions for that particular bedroom size relative to all the completions for that bedroom size. Section 43 - Commercial interests Under section 43(2) Homes England is not obliged to disclose information that would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any party. The information requested relating to a ranking of developers engages section 43(2) of the FOIA as it is commercial in nature and its release would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of Homes England and other interested parties to the information. Homes England has identified that the information requested, if released, would be likely to prejudice our relationships with developers and prejudice the effective operation of the HTB scheme. Section 43 is a qualified exemption. This means that once we have decided that the exemption is engaged, Homes England must carry out a public interest test to assess whether or not it is in the wider public interest for the information to be disclosed. Arguments in favour of disclosure: • Homes England acknowledges there is a general public interest in promoting accountability, transparency, public understanding and involvement in how Homes England undertakes its work and how it spends public money. Arguments in favour of withholding: • To release a ranking of developers would prejudice the ability of developers and members of the public to use the help to buy scheme effectively. If the public were aware of a ‘rank’ of developers assumptions could be made about the quality of certain developers over others by potential/current help to buy scheme users. OFFICIAL Making homes happen Date: 1 April 2021 Our Ref: RFI3303 Tel: 0300 1234 500 Email: [email protected] To release the information could project an unfair and inaccurate picture that may allude to ‘preferred’ developers. It is not the case that any developer is favoured over any other HTB provider and to release a ranking would be likely to affect the impartibility of the scheme. This would not be in the public interest as it would be likely to result in a mis-allocation of applicants to certain developers over others. This could cause geographical disparity in availability of the help to buy scheme and also artificially inflate house prices in certain areas. This would not be in the public interest as it would prejudice Homes England’s ability to achieve its objectives as set out in our Strategic Plan and would negatively affect the public purse; • To release a ranking of developers would negatively affect the relationship between Homes England and HTB developers. As the government’s housing accelerator it is vital that we maintain effective relationships with our partners to achieve best value for public money and best possible delivery of homes. To release the information would be likely to compromise our relationship with developers as it is confidential information that would not otherwise be released to the public. This would not be in the public interest as it could put potential homes in jeopardy; • If the public were able to compare a ranking of developers who were registered verses those who completed sales it could reveal Homes England’s forecast management strategies and incorrect assumptions could be made about our relationship with particular developers. This would not be in the public interest as it could put Homes England at a commercial disadvantage where HTB providers could not provide all relevant information in applying to be providers. Any decision based on incomplete information could lead to poorer outcomes which would not be an effective use of public money; and • Homes England has been unable to identify a wider public interest in disclosing the information requested. Having considered the arguments for and against disclosure of the information, we have concluded that at this time, the balance of the public interest favours non-disclosure. The full text of the legislation can be found on the following link; https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/section/43 Right to Appeal If you are not happy with the information that has been provided or the way in which your request has been handled you may request an internal review by writing to; The Information Governance Team Homes England – 6th Floor Windsor House 50 Victoria Street London SW1H 0TL Or by email to [email protected] OFFICIAL Making homes happen Date: 1 April 2021 Our Ref: RFI3303 Tel: 0300 1234 500 Email: [email protected] You may also complain to the Information Commissioner however, the Information Commissioner does usually expect the internal review procedure to be exhausted in the first instance. The Information Commissioner's details can be found via the following link https://ico.org.uk/ Please note that the contents of your request and this response are also subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Homes England may be required to disclose your request and our response accordingly. Yours sincerely, The Information Governance Team For Homes England OFFICIAL RFI3303 - Annex A Help To Buy Scheme - England Developers with forecasts in 2017/18 Provider Name (ADAM) COOPER HOMES LIMIT .PROSPECT HOMES LIMITED .Rykneld Homes Ltd .SOUTH EAST PROPERTY DEVE 10 WRS Ltd 100 WINCHESTER ROAD LTD 111 WOODBRIDGE LIMITED 12 HARROWDENE LIMITED 1215 Heritage Homes Ltd 126 MANOR HEIGHTS LIMITED 1516 LONDON ROAD LLP 152 SILBURY BOULEVARD LTD 158 Lower Addiscombe Road 180 KENTISH TOWN DEVELOPM 20 - 22 CRANLEIGH GARDENS 203 WILLESDEN LANE LLP 22 Park Road Ltd 223 STREATHAM ROAD DEVELO 236 LORDSHIP LANE LTD 254 KILBURN HR LLP 276 Nether Street Ltd 2C Homes Ltd 3 BLAKER ROAD LIMITED 4 KF PARADE LIMITED 40 CHURCH ROAD BOOKHAM LT 4246 BCL Ltd 43 DURNSFORD ROAD LIMITED 439 BR Ltd 45 HR Ltd 48 SHOOT UP HILL LTD 515 STOCKWOOD ROAD LLP 5557 TBR Ltd 69 Kenley Ltd 69 THE GREEN LIMITED 69 WOODSTOCK LTD 786 ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMI 8B (UK) LIMITED 90 Thurlow Park Road LLP 95 Hackney Road LLP A & D Corporate Group L A & L PROPERTY DEVELOPMEN A & S HOMES LIMITED A C Lloyd Homes Ltd A E Tabor & Sons (West Me A FUTURE INVESTMENTS (KEN A M D PROPERTY LIMITED A R Cartwright Ltd A Shade Greener Ltd A.B.L.