This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/oct/26/mp-vote-give-tenants-more-power-fight-rogue-landlords
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| MPs vote to give tenants more power to fight rogue landlords | MPs vote to give tenants more power to fight rogue landlords |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tenants are to be given more powers to fight rogue landlords renting out properties “unfit for human habitation”, following a key vote by MPs. | |
| The move came in a week when a Guardian and ITV News investigation discovered how convicted landlords can continue to collect rents – often funded by taxpayers via housing benefit – even when they have been prosecuted for housing offences and failed to pass the “fit and proper” person tests required by housing legislation. | The move came in a week when a Guardian and ITV News investigation discovered how convicted landlords can continue to collect rents – often funded by taxpayers via housing benefit – even when they have been prosecuted for housing offences and failed to pass the “fit and proper” person tests required by housing legislation. |
| The investigation also revealed that local authorities had failed to make a single entry on central government’s new rogue landlord database in the six months since its launch, while more than one in seven councils in England and Wales had failed to prosecute a single bad landlord over the past three years, despite some having high numbers of homes classed as “non-decent”. | |
| From next year renters in England will be able to force landlords to remedy problems or hazards that make their home “unfit” – and will also be able to seek compensation if work is not done – after cross-party support ensured that a private member’s bill introduced by the Labour backbencher Karen Buck passes to the House of Lords. | From next year renters in England will be able to force landlords to remedy problems or hazards that make their home “unfit” – and will also be able to seek compensation if work is not done – after cross-party support ensured that a private member’s bill introduced by the Labour backbencher Karen Buck passes to the House of Lords. |
| The bill will allow tenants to bypass council enforcement teams, some of which have poor records of taking action against rogue landlords. It will also give council tenants an avenue for redress, as local authorities cannot bring cases against themselves. | The bill will allow tenants to bypass council enforcement teams, some of which have poor records of taking action against rogue landlords. It will also give council tenants an avenue for redress, as local authorities cannot bring cases against themselves. |
| Currently, a landlord commits an offence when they fail to comply with a local authority enforcement notice, so they cannot be held responsible for poor conditions unless they have been told to carry out repairs by a council. | Currently, a landlord commits an offence when they fail to comply with a local authority enforcement notice, so they cannot be held responsible for poor conditions unless they have been told to carry out repairs by a council. |
| Buck said in the chamber: “Living in a cold, damp or unsafe home is hell. It damages people’s physical and mental wellbeing. It erodes the income of the poorest households. It impacts on children’s education. The most vulnerable tenants are most at risk of being trapped in substandard accommodation. | Buck said in the chamber: “Living in a cold, damp or unsafe home is hell. It damages people’s physical and mental wellbeing. It erodes the income of the poorest households. It impacts on children’s education. The most vulnerable tenants are most at risk of being trapped in substandard accommodation. |
| “There is a huge degree of variability in inspection, notices and enforcement rates by councils. About half of all councils have served none or only one Housing Act notice in the last year. One London council, Newham, which has an active enforcement policy, amounted to half of all notices served nationally and 70% of those in London … What this means is that there is a complete postcode lottery on the prospects of councils taking steps – and with the real prospect being that the council won’t do so.” | “There is a huge degree of variability in inspection, notices and enforcement rates by councils. About half of all councils have served none or only one Housing Act notice in the last year. One London council, Newham, which has an active enforcement policy, amounted to half of all notices served nationally and 70% of those in London … What this means is that there is a complete postcode lottery on the prospects of councils taking steps – and with the real prospect being that the council won’t do so.” |
| Buck’s previous freedom of information requests suggest that councils only bring enforcement action in cases relating to just 1% of the most serious hazards found in rented homes. | Buck’s previous freedom of information requests suggest that councils only bring enforcement action in cases relating to just 1% of the most serious hazards found in rented homes. |
| Neil O’Brien, Conservative MP for Harborough, added: “This week we have seen on the front page of the Guardian two days in a row incredible examples of problems with repeat slum landlords. This is clearly a big problem and I know that ministers are thinking about it … Clearly [this bill] will not be the end of the story. And clearly we need to think about enforcement and how we can enable enforcement to pay for itself by fining and taking the property of people who are repeated slum landlords”. | Neil O’Brien, Conservative MP for Harborough, added: “This week we have seen on the front page of the Guardian two days in a row incredible examples of problems with repeat slum landlords. This is clearly a big problem and I know that ministers are thinking about it … Clearly [this bill] will not be the end of the story. And clearly we need to think about enforcement and how we can enable enforcement to pay for itself by fining and taking the property of people who are repeated slum landlords”. |
| The government is supporting the bill and announced a review of the safety standards expected of rental housing | The government is supporting the bill and announced a review of the safety standards expected of rental housing |
| Heather Wheeler, minister for housing and homelessness: said: “[Buck’s] bill is an important part of our work to raise awareness of this vital issue – that of standards in rented properties.” | Heather Wheeler, minister for housing and homelessness: said: “[Buck’s] bill is an important part of our work to raise awareness of this vital issue – that of standards in rented properties.” |
| It is expected to become law in the early part of 2019 and will apply to new tenancy agreements as well as existing social tenancies after a 12-month period. | |
| Real estate | Real estate |
| Rogue landlords | Rogue landlords |
| Housing | Housing |
| Renting property | Renting property |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |