The Director of Planning and Regulation submitted a report to Cabinet to request approval of the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy for adoption.

Cabinet is recommended to:

1. Approve the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy (at Appendix 1) for adoption.  

2. Delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Regulation, in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance and the Portfolio Holder, to approve future updates to the policy where such changes are consistent with the overall policy approach and reflect changes to legislation or relevant case law. 

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Approve the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy (at Appendix 1) for adoption.

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Regulation, in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance and the Portfolio Holder, to approve future updates to the policy where such changes are consistent with the overall policy approach and reflect changes to legislation or relevant case law.

The Director of Planning and Regulation submitted a report to Cabinet to request approval of the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy for adoption.

Councillor Rowley noted that Renters Rights Act had come into force a couple of months earlier. The Act created new rights for private renters, consolidating existing landlord legation into a single legal framework and placed a specific duty on local housing authorities to enforce it. As a result, private rented sector housing enforcement would no longer sit with generic enforcement policy but would instead have its own policy reflecting the new statutory duties. The proposed policy reflected national legislation and guidance, alongside experience gained since the introduction of city-wide selective licensing. Councillor Rowley added that the councils work had influenced provisions within the Act that had yet to come into force, including the creation of the National Landlord Database

Courtney Bennet, Regulatory Services Manager, added that the policy was based on a national model, which had been adopted by a number of local authorities. It provided more transparency for landlords and tenants through a publicly available framework and reduced the risk of successful first year tribunal challenges by ensuring decisions aligned with policy.

Councillor Railton proposed.

Councillor Rowley seconded.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Approve the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy (at Appendix 1) for adoption.

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Regulation, in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance and the Portfolio Holder, to approve future updates to the policy where such changes are consistent with the overall policy approach and reflect changes to legislation or relevant case law.