16th
Jan 2024
Private rented sector landlords will not come under the Awaab’s Law which will be introduced solely for social housing landlords.
Last week the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government started it’s consultation on targeting rogue social landlords who are failing to ensure they provide safe homes.
It suggests the introduction of far tougher time limits for social housing providers to act swiftly in rectifying life threatening hazards such as damp and mould.
It also recommends within the new regulations which will require social landlords to investigate reported hazards within 14 days and then having a further 7 days to start rectifying the issues, and emergency repairs must be carried out within 24 hours.
Any social landlords who fail to follow these regulations will be taken to court.
The landlords will be ordered to keep clear and precise records to improve transparency for tenants which will list every action they have made to comply with the new timescales to stop them from delaying carrying out necessary repairs.
However the government has announced it will not be introducing a comparable law for the PRS landlords.
Addressing the House of Lords, housing minister Baroness Scott of Bybrook told Peers: “There are differences between the rented housing tenures. Almost half of private rental landlords own a single property and the vast majority own fewer than five so, unlike social housing landlords, very few will have in-house or contracted repair and maintenance teams, which makes it more difficult.
"We have to consider proportionate timescales in legislation for the private rented sector. However, we are taking action to improve the safety and decency of private rented homes through the Renters Reform Bill, which will be in this House shortly.
“We have introduced an amendment to the Bill to apply a decent homes standard to the private rental sector for the first time and to give local councils enforcement powers to deal with non-decent homes. As I say, that Bill will be introduced to this House shortly. We will also set up a new private rented sector ombudsman through that Bill, which will also have extra powers.”
Housing Secretary Michael Gove, said: “Today is about stronger and more robust action against social landlords who have refused to take their basic responsibilities seriously for far too long. We will force them to fix their homes within strict new time limits and take immediate action to tackle dangerous damp and mould to help prevent future tragedies.
“Alongside Awaab’s Law, our landmark Social Housing Act will drastically improve the quality of life in social housing, granting residents a proper voice to fight those who think they can cheat the system and ensuring rogue landlords face the full force of the law.”
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