Share your views on Fenland Council’s role in enforcing quality of private rented housing

Fenland District Council is asking for views on how it uses enforcement powers to regulate the condition of privately rented housing in the district.

The council is updating its Housing Enforcement Policy to incorporate new legislation, and to ensure that its enforcement approach remains effective.

All are welcome to take part in the public consultation, which will run until June 8. The authority would particularly like to hear from private sector tenants, private landlords, lettings agents and landlord and tenant associations.

The aim of the policy is to allow the consistent and fair enforcement of housing legislation to raise standards in the private housing sector and tackle those renting substandard and unsafe accommodation.

The draft policy includes the following changes:

 Changes to the issuing of civil penalty notices, which allow financial penalties, up to a maximum of £30,000, to be imposed on landlords as an alternative to prosecution for certain housing offences

 Addition of electrical safety regulations, including financial penalties for non-compliance. The regulations require landlords to ensure that a tenanted property has an Electrical Inspection Condition Report (EICR) in place to demonstrate electrical safety standards compliance and is thus safe to use by its tenants

 How the Council intends to regulate houses that fail to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards

 Addition of periphery housing legislation, such as the Tenant Fees Act, Client Money Protection, and the Redress Scheme

Councillor Samantha Hoy, Fenland ’s portfolio holder for housing, said: “We take our responsibilities around private sector rented housing seriously. Your feedback will help us to ensure that our policy continues to effectively influence quality and safety standards.”

To view the draft policy and take part in the consultation, visit:

www.fenland.gov.uk/consultations