Nottingham City Council’s Community Protection Safer Housing team has today (Friday 22 January) been awarded £151,079 to help tackle the issue of rogue landlords in Nottingham.
This follows on from the successes of Nottingham City Council’s rogue landlord campaign – also funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) – in 2013-2015.
The council has made improving the quality and safety of privately rented accommodation in the city a priority over the last few years. In 2015 city residents asked for support from the Community Protection Safer Housing Team over 1,374 times. Most of the approaches to the service related to standards in some of the 28,000 properties in the city’s private rented sector. Some homes were of a good standard but others were found to be damp, overcrowded, have rats, dangerous electrics and unsanitary conditions. Many were family homes with children living in them and some vulnerable adults.
The new campaign will seek to build on the success of the existing campaign to focus on the minority of landlords who place the health, safety and welfare of some of the most vulnerable residents at risk.
A key part of the new programme will target the accommodation above commercial premises. After identifying whether the property has the appropriate licence, a full health and safety rating system assessment will be performed on the premises. If the building fails the inspection and it is deemed that the occupant is at risk, emergency action will be taken. The new funding will help to provide emergency accommodation and support vulnerable tenants by working with the Community Cohesion team, with interpreters used to communicate with citizens where necessary.
The campaign will also aim to prevent rogue activities through educating and training landlords in partnership with Decent and Safe Homes East Midlands, as well as promoting a single point of contact for the Safer Housing team through a renewed “Report a Rogue Landlord” media campaign.
The announcement comes on the day that Mr Sukhvinder Swali of Wollaton Road, Wollaton, is being prosecuted by Nottingham City Council at Nottingham Magistrates Court, for contraventions under the Housing Act 2004. The prosecution follows a complaint from a tenant and the subsequent investigation which revealed faulty electrical equipment, which had caused a fire, and lack of suitable maintenance.
Cllr Jane Urquhart, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, said: “Raising the standards of privately rented accommodation in this city is an ambition, commitment and priority for the Council as all tenants should be able to enjoy living in decent and safe homes.
“The award from the DCLG of £151,079 recognises the successes that we have already achieved in dealing with rogue landlords and will enable us to deliver a programme of initiatives that will make great strides in driving them out of business. This can only be good for the city and good for private renters.”
“We recognise that there are many good landlords in the city providing decent homes. We are proud to continue working with them and supporting their endeavours.”
If you are a tenant and think that your property should be licensed or have other concerns about your accommodation, you can report it via twitter @nottmrenters or Facebook at /NottinghamRenters
Alternatively, tenants can phone 0115 915 2020 or report a rogue landlord online athttps://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/article/29046/Report-a-rogue-landlord-or-problem-with-your-private-rented-property
Failure of landlords to apply for a licence can lead to an unlimited fine if found guilty by the courts. If a landlord is found guilty, the tenants can apply for their rent back through a tribunal (known as a rent repayment order). This can be for up to a year’s worth of rent.
For information on accreditation and how to find a good private rented home through the Nottingham Standard visit our website at https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/nottinghamstandard.