Minutes:
AMENDMENT MOVED AND SECONDED - This Council notes that
· According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there were 22.6 million households in England in 2013-14.
· The private rented sector, defined as non-owner-occupied property other than that rented from Local Authorities and Housing Associations, has more than doubled since 2000-01 and stood at 4.4 million households in 2013-14, now accounting for 19% of the overall stock.
This Council Meeting further notes that
· The private rented sector has an important role in helping to address housing need in Stockport
· Stockport has introduced a voluntary accreditation scheme designed to improve property standards and management practices in privately rented accommodation – The Greater Manchester Landlord Accreditation Scheme
· The English Housing Survey showed that 84% of private renters are satisfied with their accommodation
· That a small number of rogue or criminal landlords knowingly rent out unsafe and substandard accommodation, bringing misery to tenants who may live in accommodation that is potentially dangerous or hazardous to health.
This Council therefore welcomes action by the current Conservative Government and the previous Coalition Government including:
· The £6.7 million of funding made available to local authorities to help tackle rogue landlords, including “Beds in Sheds” which has so far led to the inspection of nearly 40,000 properties and over 3,000 landlords facing further enforcement action or prosecution
· The launch of a new Model Tenancy Agreement so that tenants and landlords can choose longer, more family- friendly tenancies bringing more stability and certainty for all parties
· The publication of a “How to Rent” guide to help tenants and landlords know their rights and responsibilities
· The publication of guidance for Local Authorities on “Improving the Private Rented Sector and Tackling Bad Practice”
· The introduction of new regulations forcing letting and property management agents to join one of three approved redress schemes
· The introduction of a new code of practice for landlords and letting agents to improve standards in the private rented sector
· The introduction of protection for tenants against “retaliatory eviction”, due to come into effect in October 2015
· A requirement for landlords to install smoke alarms on every floor of their property, and test them at the start of every tenancy, and to install carbon monoxide alarms in high risk rooms, subject to Parliamentary approval, from October 2015
· The recent publication by DCLG of the “Tackling rogue landlords and improving the private rental sector” consultation which made clear the Government’s continued determination and commitment to crackdown on rogue landlords and outlined proposals for blacklisting and banning of rogue landlords and letting agents, tougher penalties for the worst offenders, the extension of Rent Repayment Orders and the introduction of civil penalties for a range of breaches of housing legislation.
This Council Meeting further
· notes that Greater Manchester Combined Authority submitted a response to the consultation on behalf of the 10 Greater Manchester Councils, including Stockport Council which provides GMCA with both the Portfolio Holder and the Lead Officer for Planning & Housing and which played an important role in the consultation response
· recognises innovative proposals put forward by the GMCA consultation response, which suggests that a link between payment of housing benefit and property condition merits further investigation with the aim of achieving a cost-effective and self-regulatory approach based on recognised accreditation schemes
· notes the GM Planning and Housing Commission meeting on 7th October will receive a report on the Private Rented Sector which will look at both independent and institutional landlords, and the impact of recent investment across Greater Manchester.
This Council Meeting therefore resolves
· To recognise the work undertaken by our officers in contributing to formal responses to the “Tackling rogue landlords” consultation and their continued work locally to deal with rogue landlords within the bounds of current legislation
· To monitor with interest the outcomes of the consultation and any resulting proposals put forward by the Government
· To request the GMCA Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing provides a full report to the relevant SMBC Scrutiny Committee on the responses and proposals put to Government as part of the consultation and to update on the outcomes of the GM Planning and Housing Commission meeting of 7th October.
For the amendment 7, against 31.
AMENDMENT NOT CARRIED
It was then
RESOLVED – (31 for, 7 against) This Council notes that
· According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there were 22.6 million households in England in 2013-14.
· The private rented sector, defined as non-owner-occupied property other than that rented from Local Authorities and Housing Associations, has more than doubled since 2000-01 and stood at 4.4 million households in 2013-14, now accounting for 19% of the overall stock.
· The size of the private rented sector in England over-took the amount of socially rented Local Authority provision for the first time since the 1960s in 2011, when they were 13,852 privately rented homes in Stockport and 462,899 in the North-West.
· A let in the private rented sector commonly has a fixed initial term of 6 or 12 months which can give flexibility for tenants and landlords, but can also lead to instability for both parties.
· The work of Local Authorities to promote best practice in the sector, including the introduction of a Mandatory Selective Licensing Scheme in Liverpool and across Scotland where every Council now holds a formal register of all landlords and letting agents in their area.
· The GM Planning and Housing Commission meeting on 7th October will receive a report on the Private Rented Sector which will look at both independent and institutional landlords, and the impact of recent investment across Greater Manchester.
This Council believes that
· The private rented sector has an important role in helping to address housing need in Stockport.
· Whilst the majority of private landlords act fairly and take their responsibilities seriously, and whilst the majority of privately rented accommodation in Stockport meets relevant housing standards, there remains a considerable minority of sub-standard properties let by rogue landlords who have little concern for the welfare of tenants and often fail to meet their legal obligations.
· That as the private rented sector continues to grow it is vital that proper protections are put in place for tenants, ensuring that at the very minimum they have a home which is safe, clean and warm.
· The majority of tenants occupying sub-standard properties are supported with public funds through Housing Benefit, and that as there are often no checks carried out unless problems are reported to the Council, it is difficult to know whether accommodation represents good value for money.
This Council resolves
· To work with the other 9 Local Authorities in GM to agree how best to enforce the Decent Homes Standard in the private rented sector and advocate Stockport’s preferred solution of obtaining devolved powers to enable the introduction of a Private Sector Landlords Licencing Scheme.
· That the Chief Executive also write to the Minister for Housing to lobby the Government for national legislation on the introduction of statutory landlord licensing across England which would ensure that the receipt of Housing Benefit (or the housing element of Universal Credit) is linked to a requirement to meet appropriate housing standards and that tenants are protected from unscrupulous landlords.