To scrutinise the role of private landlords in the Dover district and how elected members can support and assist private tenants.
Minutes:
Members welcomed the Private Sector Housing Manager (Dover District Council) and Renee Young from the National Landlords Association (NLA) who had been invited to discuss the role of private landlords in the Dover district and how Members could support and assist private tenants.
The Private Sector Housing Manager advised that The Housing Act 2004 (the ‘Act’) introduced mandatory licensing for certain houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) with the aim to deal with poor management of this type of property. The definition of a HMO for licensing purposes had changed and it was the landlord’s responsibility to register a HMO. The Act allowed local authorities to identify properties in poor physical condition lacking basic amenities and the powers to ensure landlords were carrying out risk assessments of their properties against specified criteria to make them safe and healthy for tenants.
The Government had initially promoted the changes to the Act, including the criteria for a licence, and additional funding was given to local authorities for further communication and press releases. To update landlords of any relevant changes the council held forums twice a year. Members were also advised that the National Landlords Association provided training packages and was working on writing advice to landlords as to what constituted a HMO.
Following implementation of the Act there had been an increase of licensed premises, with a total of 52 licensed premises in the district. In 2017 the council adopted a Housing Enforcement Policy permitting the issuance of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) with fines up to £30,000 to landlords not complying with the Act. The revenue collected would go toward further enforcement work within the authority. Enforcement action by way of two emergency prohibition orders, three improvement notices and four PCNs had been issued by the council within the last year. In comparison the majority of local authorities outside of cities had not served any improvement notices. The council’s Private Sector Housing team were responsible for the enforcement of the licences and approximately 150 complaints were received annually about properties, all of which were investigated and the majority upheld. In addition, 15 inspections were carried out following reports from the council’s Housing Options team.
Members were informed that a compulsory registration scheme for all landlords had been trialed in Wales but it was not yet known how successful it had been. The NLA had worked with other authorities developing schemes for their areas, such as Selective Licensing and Additional Licensing Schemes which could tackle specific problems. However, there was concern expressed that in respect of voluntary schemes the good landlords would register whilst bad ones would not. There was also concern expressed that the costs of any licensing scheme were such that they would force good landlords out of the market.
Support from the council could be provided to tenants by way of the Rent Deposit Scheme and Rent in Advance. The council could also make discretionary housing payments. Members were aware that some landlords did not want to accept tenants in receipt of housing benefit and Members were keen for the council to engage with landlords to provide support and reassurance when taking on tenants in receipt of benefits. All landlords were encouraged to join a landlords’ association and there were two redress schemes available for them to register with which provided support to the landlord and tenant if a complaint could not be reconciled between the two.
It was moved by Councillor P J Hawkins, duly seconded by Councillor P M Brivio, that it be recommended to Cabinet that a letter be written to the Minister of State for Housing asking that a compulsory registration scheme be created for private landlords.
RESOLVED: (a) That Cabinet be requested to write to the Minister of State for Housing asking that a compulsory registration scheme be created for private landlords.
(b) That officers be thanked for attending.
(Councillor N Dixon declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest by reason of his being a Private Landlord and withdrew from the meeting for consideration of the item.)
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