Issue - meetings

This report will provide an update on the Additional Licensing Programme for Houses in Multiple Occupation. It will also seek approval to further support tenants in unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupation to meet the Council’s ambition of increasing the quality and standard of private rented houses in the city.

[Report to follow]

Resolved:

     i.        That the creation of a partnership with Justice for Tenants (JFT), who could provide support and advice to private residential be supported, including applying for rent repayment orders, through the signing of a Service Level Agreement and Data Sharing Agreement between the Council and JFT.

    ii.        That authority be delegated to the Director of Housing Economy and (and their delegated officers), in consultation with the Director of Governance (and their delegated officers), to negotiate the provisions, and conclude the entry into the proposed Service Level Agreement and Data Sharing Agreement with JFT.

Reason: The proposed partnership will assist the Council in bringing private sector properties, and in particular properties which are subject to additional HMO licensing requirements, into compliance with legislation by encouraging tenants to report properties which are non-compliant to the Healthy and Sustainable Homes team to investigate and take appropriate action to resolve.

The Executive Member considered a report which provided an update on the Additional Licensing Programme for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and outlined an opportunity to further support residents who lived in a licensable HMO through the not-for-profit organisation, Justice for Tenants (JFT).

The Healthy and Sustainable Homes Manager outlined the report stating that the Council was proposing a partnership with JFT, which provided advice and support to private sector tenants by assisting with rent repayment applications or providing a representation service. He explained that JFT would pay the Tribunal fees on behalf of those they represent and a success fee would later be recovered. He concluded by noting that this partnership will help the Council identify unlicensed premises and would provide tenants with a financial incentive to report landlords.

In response to questions from the Executive Member, the Officer noted that:

·         The partnership could be implemented fairly quickly as the Council were in the process of finalising the terms. 

·         There have been meetings with resident and landlord associations and they expressed the desire for further enforcement. Both universities also supported the partnership.

·         HMO licensing and planning applications were sent to all the relevant Officers in both departments to ensure up-to-date information. 

·         The Council had a legal obligation to issue a licence once an application was received and conditions could then be placed. This could mean that a property was licenced but not have planning permission, which would then fall to planning Officers to manage.

·         Officers would examine how the HMO register was publicised and have been actively asking residents to report problems and identify any HMOs to the Council.

The Executive Member then asked that Officers communicate the details of the JFT scheme to residents and landlords once it was in place. It was then;

Resolved:

     i.        That the creation of a partnership with Justice for Tenants (JFT), who could provide support and advice to private residential be supported, including applying for rent repayment orders, through the signing of a Service Level Agreement and Data Sharing Agreement between the Council and JFT.

    ii.        That authority be delegated to the Director of Housing Economy and (and their delegated officers), in consultation with the Director of Governance (and their delegated officers), to negotiate the provisions, and conclude the entry into the proposed Service Level Agreement and Data Sharing Agreement with JFT.

Reason: The proposed partnership will assist the Council in bringing private sector properties, and in particular properties which are subject to additional HMO licensing requirements, into compliance with legislation by encouraging tenants to report properties which are non-compliant to the Healthy and Sustainable Homes team to investigate and take appropriate action to resolve.