Agenda item

To provide the Joint Public Protection Committee with an update on the work of PPP within Private Sector Housing and to highlight the high level priorities which we will undertake over the next 2 years.

The Committee considered the report (Agenda Item 7) which provided an update on the work of the PPP within Private Sector Housing and which highlighted the high level priorities which would be undertaken over the next two years.

Rosalynd Gater, Commercial Team Manager, presented the report. She explained that the areas of priority over the next two years would include work with houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). The first phase of this work had already been undertaken with visits to approximately 450 licensed HMOs in the past year.

The second phase would cover those premises without a licence. Action would be taken to ensure that these licensing applications were processed and premises inspected to ensure compliance.

A survey would be conducted to inform the third phase of activity to identify HMOs that the service was unaware of and needed a licence.

The current capacity to undertake this extensive work was limited and three new officers had been recruited who would all take up their posts very soon. The recruitment of this additional resource showed the high priority given to this area of work.

Rosalynd Gater then explained that inspection work of caravan and park home sites was another key feature of the forthcoming work programme. The work included programmed visits to licensed sites (approximately 50 sites) and work to ensure that unlicensed sites applied for a licence and met the required standards. It was also the hope that the reactive work undertaken for caravan sites could be reduced by regularising sites.

It was also the intention to increase joint working with local authority housing services. Landlord forums would be established and condition surveys undertaken. A landlord accreditation scheme would be introduced.

Approval was sought from the Committee to issue civil penalty notices as an additional tool for the prosecution of relevant offences under the Housing act. There was a strong commitment to ensuring compliance within private sector housing.

Rosalynd Gater then drew Members attention to some revisions and additions to the report that had originally been circulated with the agenda. This revised version had been circulated but Rosalynd described where the changes had been made. This included greater information in some areas, i.e. cost recovery, and a simplification of information in some cases.

Councillor Parry Batth gave thanks for the excellent report.

Councillor James Cole queried the use of 2017 figures in relation to modern day slavery and whether this should be updated. Rosalynd Gater confirmed that she would double check this information to ensure it was accurate.

Councillor James Cole then asked if the rogue landlord database was in existence and if so the numbers on the database. Rosalyn Gater advised that the national database was in place. The numbers were extremely low for the Public Protection Partnership. The database was established on a national level as landlords often covered different local authority areas.

RESOLVED that:

·         the PPP role in relation to Private Sector Housing be noted.

·         the direction the PPP was taking in Private Sector Housing be approved.

·         the issue of civil penalty notices as an additional tool to prosecution for relevant offences under the Housing Act 2004 be approved.

·         the development and sign off of an internal appeals process with respect to civil penalty notices would be delegated to the Joint Management Board.