Action from Labour to Tackle Rogue Landlords and Meet Students' Needs

Reading and District Labour Party has pushed Reading Borough Council's leadership to take action on the issue of the reduction of family housing in areas of East and Central Reading, and the problems caused by the minority of landlords who fail to maintain their properties and promote overcrowding.

The local Labour Party has drawn up a twelve-point plan, which we have pushed the Borough to implement. Please find below the details of the Plan, and any progress in these areas since the Plan was drawn up.

We are pleased that action to tackle problematic HMOs is one of the few growth areas within RBC's budget this year, which is heavily constricted due to economic circumstances caused by the credit crunch.

NB See the bottom of this page for a Winter 2009 update

WHAT PROGRESS HAS THERE BEEN AGAINST THE 12-POINT PLAN?

1. Co-ordinating the efforts of Council licensing, planning and environmental health officers in recognition of the fact that many House in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are in breach of more than one set of regulations.

--> The Planning Applications Committee has instructed officers to develop a coordinated approach across planning, licensing and environmental health.

2. Rigorous enforcement by the Council of the present requirement that all HMOs that are 3 or more stories high (including basement and attics in residential use) and have five or more occupants should be licensed, in order to ensure that they meet legal standards and are properly managed.

--> Funds for two more Enforcement Officers have been released in RBC's budget this year.

3. Regular consideration by the Council as to whether to extend licensing to other privately rented properties, for example in areas where there is a problem with anti-social behaviour.

--> The additional funds from this year's budget will allow for licensing to be extended if the Council is able to establish a base for this.

4. Commitment of additional resources by the Council to the planning enforcement section to allow it to act speedily and effectively against HMOs which do not have planning permission.

--> The new budget includes funding for a Project Officer to review and revive the Landlord Accreditation Scheme.

5. Recognising that servicing an HMO costs the Council more than servicing the family property that was there before and looking at ways of recovering those additional costs from landlords.

--> The Council is planning to increase the fees charged to private landlords wishing to be licensed.

6. Issuing guidance on the Council's website and to community groups and Neighbourhood Action Groups about the statutory requirements on HMOs, about how to find out whether a particular HMO has the necessary licence and planning permission, and about how to report possible breaches.

--> The Planning Applications Committee has asked officers to undertake this.

7. When an HMO ceases to trade and becomes vacant, acting speedily under the Council's Empty Homes Strategy to bring the property back into normal residential use.

--> The Council's Private Sector Initiatives Officer is working on this area.

8. Extending the Council's Housing Strategy, now out for consultation, to include recognition of the need for student accommodation in Reading, and to provide a framework within which it can be planned.

--> This matter is apparently already reflected in the Housing Strategy, and will be returned to by RBC following consultation, including that being undertaken through the Scrutiny Committee.

9. Pressing the University of Reading to work, certainly prior to any move to vacate their Bulmershe site, with the Council and Thames Valley University (TVU) on a joint University Housing Strategy aimed at ensuring availability of sufficient safe, well-maintained and affordable accommodation for students in Reading.

--> RBC's Cabinet is, we understand, in discussion with the University of Reading to agree consultation arrangements for the future.

10. Working with Reading University and TVU on a Landlord Accreditation Scheme that will seek to improve the standards of private accommodation offered to students in Reading.

--> Labour's budget proposals include resources to review and revitalise the Landlord Accreditation Scheme.

11. Establishing a Student Accommodation Partnership including representatives from the Council, the two Universities, and their student unions, major providers, and local community groups to contribute to and then progress the University Housing Strategy, addressing issues as they arise.

--> The Labour Group has suggested that a Student Accommodation Partnership may emerge from the consultation arrangements under discussion.

12. Consulting on the introduction of resultant new planning policies that would seek to restrict the concentration of HMOs in particular streets and promote more mixed and balanced communities.

--> RBC's plans allow for a review of this, once current arrangements have been improved

We will continue to press RBC for action. In particular, we want to make sure that the consultation mentioned in points 8, 9 and 11 involves all local people with an interest in this area, and that more radical plans such as those mentioned in 3, 11 and 12 are given the detailed consideration they deserve. Please let Anneliese know if you think there is anything else that the local Labour Party should be doing in this area.

Winter 2009 update on regulating Houses in Multiple Occupation

The changes made by the Council, following the adoption of the 12-point plan, are starting to have an impact in improving the regulation of HMOs.

The new Council licensing web site (www.reading.gov.uk/hmolicense) is helping the HMO team identify the need for enforcement work.

There have been 57 referrals to the Council on unlicensed properties up to mid-November this year, mostly coming from the public. Please continue this good work.

A second change is a cross-department environmental working group which meets regularly to coordinate work across planning, licensing and environmental health.

And the Council is also working on the development of the proposed Landlord Accreditation scheme. There are a number of options and it is looking at solutions adopted by London Boroughs to get examples of effective action in this area. A new officer was appointed by RBC on the 12th October to get the Accreditation scheme going.

A positive sign is that many landlords see the benefits of accreditation in ensuring that landlords who properly maintain their property can be more easily identified by students or families seeking rented accommodation.

Another benefit is that more licensed HMOs - and, once a scheme is in place, more accredited landlords - means that more properties are well enough maintained to revert to residential use. In the changing market in Reading, this is already happening for a few properties.