Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities which outlined the outcomes from the scrutiny review and sought comments on the report attached as Appendix 1.

 

The Board was advised that the topic group had been formed in response to a number of issues identified by Members relating to the private rented sector including poor property conditions, anti-social behaviour caused by private tenants and absentee landlords who were reluctant to take action against tenants who caused problems.   The group had been chaired by Councillor Pamela Wallace.

 

The Board was advised that Members of the topic group had made their recommendations and these were outlined within the Action Plan contained in Appendix 4 of the report along with further details of the project and outcomes from meetings.

 

It was reported that the recommendations would have staffing implications and there may need to be funding identified for additional resources.  The report presented to the Board meeting in June would identify such costs.  In response, it was highlighted that if additional funding was required, Members would need to be informed in time for it to be considered in the budgetary process. 

 

The Chairman of the topic group, Councillor Wallace, took the opportunity to thank Officers for their support and excellent work they had undertaken during the review.

 

The Chairman suggested that a summary document be produced which would include contact names and telephone numbers and that it be circulated to all Members of the Council.  It was also highlighted that some of the properties in the Borough were being used as ‘safe houses’ and would need to be protected.

 

The Chairman also suggested that due to financial pressures, an interim solution could be that landlords give the Authority details of all their properties and Members would inspect them randomly.

 

Clarity was sought on how many of the 5030 properties were privately owned and were being let out and how many were being let to an agency. In reply it was reported that this information would be circulated to Members of the Board.  In addition, it was reported that the Government were addressing Housing Tenancy Fraud and this would be monitored.

 

The Board noted that the electoral register was available to check who was registered at an address and this could be used more frequently to identify sub letting issues.

 

The Board noted the issues set out in paragraphs 3.2.1 to 3.2.4 of the report.

 

The Topic Group agreed the following recommendations for the Board to support:-

 

·       Recommend that the Council uses its discretion to charge 90% Council Tax on properties that have been needlessly left empty for over 6 months and that the Council support proposals contained in the Government’s consultation on technical reforms of Council Tax to increase this amount to 100% and charge an additional empty homes premium;

 

·       It was agreed that a targeted project management approach to the issue be piloted in West Bank and Halton Lodge, which would feature the following:

 

§      An information event for landlords and tenants involving all relevant services with exhibition space;

 

§      Inviting landlords in the areas to register their contact details with the Council;

 

§      Promote the benefits of joining the Landlord Accreditation Scheme;

 

§      Provide advice to landlords on how to deal with anti social tenants;

 

§      Introduce a Healthy Homes approach in these areas making links with relevant organisations with front line staff perhaps through re-instigation of the Safer Homes Group;

 

§      Make full use of relevant enforcement powers in these areas to tackle poor condition;

 

§      Undertake an external inspection of properties in these areas to identify empty properties and establish whether Council Tax or Housing Benefit fraud is an issue;

 

§      Pilot an approach which accredits the property rather than the landlord in these areas;

 

§      Explore the possibility of bringing in additional staffing resources to assist with the above either through re-organisation of existing staff, secondment from another organisation, funding bids to external agencies or through use of volunteers or graduate work experience schemes;

 

§      Undertake a survey of known private landlords throughout the Borough to gain a better understanding of the types of properties they own, their motivations for being a private landlord, their intentions for the future and to provide an opportunity to promote their responsibilities as a landlord and Council services that are available to assist;

 

§      Work with the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to support their call for a change in legislation that would require all private landlords to install hard wired smoke detectors in their properties; and

 

§      Via the Council’s intranet and Cheshire Police’s Looking Glass system, encourage staff whose jobs involve outside visits to report empty properties so that they can be verified against Council Tax details and potential fraud identified.

 

 

RESOLVED: That

 

(1)              The report and comments raised be noted;

 

(2)              The recommendations and Action Plan set out in Appendix 1 to the report be supported;

 

(3)              A further report detailing cost implications be presented to the Board in June; and

 

(4)              After consideration by the Board in June it be presented to the Executive Board for consideration.