Agenda item

Private Sector Housing Standards

18.1

It was moved by Councillor Steve Ayris, seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, that this Council:-

(a)      notes there are around 36,000 privately rented properties in Sheffield, around 16% of our city’s population, double the amount 10 years ago and almost as many are living in social housing;

(b)      notes that a lack of social housing properties, rising house prices and the difficulty in accessing mortgages mean that many people, particularly the young or vulnerable, have no choice but to live in private sector rental accommodation;

(c)      despite this growth in the sector, private sector housing remains ‘Cinderella’ to social housing in terms of Council time and investment, and currently the Council generally only provides a reactive service to problems in private sector housing in line with its statutory duties;

(d)      notes that there are many good landlords in Sheffield who provide excellent, affordable accommodation and a good service to their tenants;

(e)      believes that prevention is better than a cure and that we, as the city council, should find a way of working with landlords and using the skills and experience of the many good landlords in our city to drive up standards in the sector; and

(f)       therefore, calls on the Administration to work with the appropriate scrutiny committee to develop proposals and consult the public and landlords on what can be done to improve the standards of landlords and private sector housing in Sheffield.

18.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Jayne Dunn, seconded by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (b) to (f) and the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (d) as follows:-

(b)      recalls the Coalition Government’s decision to implement deep cuts to grant funding for social housing, which made it much more difficult for councils and housing associations to build affordable homes;

(c)      notes action the current Administration has taken to improve standards in the private rented sector, including:-

(i)      introducing a Selective Licensing Scheme in Page Hall to great effect, with 96% of privately rented properties in that area now compliant;

(ii)     launching Snug - a flagship student housing scheme where properties that are good quality and well managed get a certificate; Sheffield is the only local authority in the country to inspect every home before issuing the certificate, and around 12,000 students are now safer in their homes as a result;

(iii)     becoming the first local authority outside of London to enforce the Lettings Agents’ Redress Scheme to enforce standards and protect tenants; and

(iv)    supporting the growth of the private rented sector team and providing extra resources to target some neighbourhoods where private landlords or properties are causing problems; and

(d)      further notes the Administration’s commitment to continue working with the public and landlords to improve the private rented sector in Sheffield.

18.3

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

18.4

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)      notes there are around 36,000 privately rented properties in Sheffield, around 16% of our city’s population, double the amount 10 years ago and almost as many are living in social housing;

(b)      recalls the Coalition Government’s decision to implement deep cuts to grant funding for social housing, which made it much more difficult for councils and housing associations to build affordable homes;

(c)      notes action the current Administration has taken to improve standards in the private rented sector, including:-

(i)       introducing a Selective Licensing Scheme in Page Hall to great effect, with 96% of privately rented properties in that area now compliant;

(ii)      launching Snug - a flagship student housing scheme where properties that are good quality and well managed get a certificate; Sheffield is the only local authority in the country to inspect every home before issuing the certificate, and around 12,000 students are now safer in their homes as a result;

(iii)      becoming the first local authority outside of London to enforce the Lettings Agents’ Redress Scheme to enforce standards and protect tenants; and

(iv)     supporting the growth of the private rented sector team and providing extra resources to target some neighbourhoods where private landlords or properties are causing problems; and

(d)      further notes the Administration’s commitment to continue working with the public and landlords to improve the private rented sector in Sheffield.

18.4.1

(NOTES 1. Councillors Richard Shaw, Rob Frost, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Penny Baker, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Steve Ayris, Denise Reaney and David Baker voted for paragraph (a) and against paragraphs (b) – (d) of the Substantive Motion and asked for this to be recorded.

2. Councillors Aodan Marken, Robert Murphy and Brian Webster voted for paragraphs (a), (b), (c)(i) - (iii) and (d) and abstained on paragraph (c)(iv) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded).