Shelter, which once adopted a notably hard line on private landlords, is seeking a more collaborative tone under its new leadership.

In an interview with Inside Housing, incoming chief executive Sarah Elliott set out her vision for a reset.

She said the charity’s role is “evolving” across its work on new homes, social housing, government policy and the private rented sector.

She tells the magazine: “With renters’ rights, how do we enforce rights in a context where local authorities are really, really short of resources? 

“How do we work as a partner in that system to make these things a reality?”

In the interview, she says her job now is to get parties who have long been at odds around the same table to talk about solutions.

She highlights a “constructive meeting” with a landlords’ association chief executive, where the discussion focused on the looming reforms to Section 21 notices.

Her predecessor, Polly Neate, departed the organisation last year and was elevated to the Lords by the Labour government in November.

The magazine characterises Neate’s markedly different approach (anti-landlord) this way: “Baroness Neate … became something of a thorn in the side of the private rented sector. During her tenure, Baroness Neate was outspoken in her criticism of private landlords, accusing them of getting away with cutting corners on housing conditions.”

In response to that critique of her predecessor, Elliott tells the magazine: “We cannot be complacent”

“Where there are rogue landlords who are not doing the right thing, we clearly will not be on their side.

“But I do think we’re going to have to work as a [collective] if we’re going to improve the system and end homelessness.