.avif)
-
17/12/25 3:30 pm
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Environmental health officers have warned MPs they face an additional enforcement burden when trying to get landlords onto the new private rented sector database.
Giving evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee about housing conditions in England, James Wilson, head of environment and sustainability, environmental services at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said that while compliant landlords would register, the duty to get non-compliant landlords on board fell on local authorities.
“There is an additional burden on us to enforce that as well,” said Wilson. “The awkward landlords won’t register and we’ll still going to have to hunt them down.”
The officers all drew attention to the need for funding to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act. Joe Roberts, Cornwall Council’s head of building control, compliance & housing quality, explained: “We need more sustainable funding given to us so we can plan a way forward towards increasing our delivery and helping those facing poor housing conditions.”
Ashlea Birch, neighbourhood manager (environmental health, trading standards & housing) at Manchester City Council, told MPs that receipts from civil penalty notices were useful but could not sustain a service. “Landlords are getting more productive at appealing this at tribunal…a civil penalty notice amount can get reduced…debt recovery stalls and it can go on for a couple of years,” she explained.
Zena Lynch, a member of the housing advisory panel of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, adds: “We are particularly pleased that they were able to highlight the need for sustained funding for enforcement of the Renters’ Rights Act and the importance of informal as well as formal enforcement of legislation.”
Tags:
.avif)
Comments