The bid by a Birmingham MP to tackle cowboy builders and rogue landlords blighting his constituency has won cross-party backing ahead of its first appearance in the House of Commons.
Selly Oak MP Steve McCabe will present his Protection of Family Homes Bill in the house today.
It is a new law designed to beef up enforcement action against those who over extend homes without the correct planning permission.
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Mr McCabe said he had been inundated with complaints from residents in Selly Oak who had seen unsightly and occasionally shoddy extensions attached to family homes in order for landlords to house more students.
In one high-profile case, Gerard and Christine White of The Hurst, Moseley, that their roofs touched and the properties shared a gutter.
Despite it being larger than the planning permission allowed, the council refused to take enforcement action.
Eight MPs from across the political divide whose residents are suffering similar problems have sponsored the bill, improving its chances of becoming law.
Among the backers are Lichfield's Conservative MP Michael Fabricant and Yardley Labour MP Jess Phillips.
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Mr McCabe said: "I am pleased to have the backing from colleagues from across the house and the country.
"It is clear this is a problem that affects many parts of the country and my Bill will introduce some reasonable and sensible measures to tackle rogue landlords and cowboy builders who think they can get away with building without permission.
"I hope the minister will listen carefully to my proposals, this issue isn't going to go away so we must do something to protect our homes."
The Bill includes measures to:
- Require the Department for Communities and Local Government to produce clearer guidance on when enforcement action should be taken
- Introduce a right of appeal to an independent body when a planning authority decides not to take enforcement action against a breach in planning law
- Set out the requirement for extensions built under permitted development to be independently checked against building regulations to ensure they are safe to live in
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- New powers for planning authorities to fine developers who breach planning law as a deterrent
The full list of MPs sponsoring Mr McCabe's Bill is:
- Paul Blomfield (Lab Sheffield Central)
- Nigel Evans (Con Ribble Valley)
- Michael Fabricant (Con Lichfield)
- Diana Johnson (Lab Kingston-upon-Hull North
- Norman Lamb (Lib Dem North Norfolk)
- Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem Leeds North West)
- Jess Phillips (Lab Birmingham Yardley)
- Alan Whitehead (Lab Southampton Test)