§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when and how residents of the Galleys Bank estate in Kidsgrove were issued with statutory notices under section 563 of the Housing Defects Act.
§ Mr. Trippier[holding answer 8 December 1988]: Section 563 of the Housing Act 1985 requires public sector bodies selling designated properties to notify the purchaser, specifying the qualifying defect and stating that no assistance will be available under the housing defects legislation. We understand that purchasers at Galleys Bank estate, Kidsgrove were not notified by British Coal until October 1986.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to make sure that those residents who purchased their homes from a private owner, and who had no means of knowing that their homes were classified as defective under section 563 of the Housing Defects Act at the time of purchase, could be made eligible for grant aid under the Act.
§ Mr. Trippier[holding answer 8 December 1988]: We have no plans to amend the housing defects legislation in 412W this respect; the 12-month period of grace following the cut-off date, provided for by the Act, should have allowed sufficient time for knowledge of the defects to reach all those involved with the buying and selling of properties.