Issue - meetings

To consider the head of housing and environment’s report. 

The purpose of the report is to seek approval from Cabinet to adopt the Housing Enforcement Policy

Recommendations:

a)       Approve the adoption of the Housing Enforcement Policy.

b)       Subject to approval of the policy, to delegate authority to the Head of Housing and Environment to make minor amendments to the policy in the future.

Prior to the start of this item, at 12:54pm, members voted to extend the meeting time by half an hour, as allowable in the constitution, as the meeting length was approaching two hours and 30 minutes.

Councillors Sue Caul and Andy Crawford left the meeting room, as they declared that they had rental property or lodgers. They were unable to participate in this item due to their disclosed interests.

The cabinet member for community health and wellbeing introduced the report. The policy explained in a clear and transparent manner the approach to housing enforcement by the council in relation to residential dwellings. It provided guidance to officers, landlords, managing agents and tenants on the rental standards expected by the council, including Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). The policy laid out when and how the council may take enforcement action, including in exceptional cases through the courts or by issuing civil penalties. The council had a good track record of engagement with landlords, and this policy built on this.

In response to Councillor Foxhall’s participation under public speaking, it was confirmed that the policy included socially rented property and included that enforcement was stated for all types and applied across all kinds of housing. The policy had focus on private housing in parts (such as HMO licensing), but officers provided assurance that the standards were for across the board for different housing categories. Recent news of a child’s death due to poor standard of housing, damp and mould was highlighting these issues nationally.

A member asked how letting agencies would be involved in implementing this, and whether they would be aware. It was responded that this policy did not change legislation, but it brings it together in one document for enforcement and explained how our housing officers will deal with such situations and what to expect of them.

Members welcomed this report and agreed on the following recommendations.

Resolved:

(a)  That Cabinet approved the adoption of the Housing Enforcement Policy.

(b) Cabinet agreed that subject to approval of the policy, to delegate authority to the Head of Housing and Environment to make minor amendments to the policy in the future