Agenda item

(Housing Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-023-2015/16).

(1)        That the ‘Verbal Advice’ section of the Enforcement Options within the Policy be revised to improve its readability and understanding for Private Sector Tenants;

(2)        That the Epping Forest District Council Housing Charter be added as an Appendix to the Policy; and

(3)        That the updated version of the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy, attached as an appendix to the report and amended as above, be approved and adopted.

The Housing Portfolio Holder presented a report on the revision of the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy.

The Portfolio Holder stated that the existing Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy had been introduced in 2010, following the transfer of the Private Sector Housing Team to the Housing Directorate. It was now felt appropriate to review and update the Policy to reflect the current exercise of Private Sector Housing Enforcement functions within the new Communities Directorate. In addition, the ‘Regulators Code’ and ‘Code of Practice: Powers of Entry’ had also come into force and had to be taken into account when formulating any enforcement policy. The draft revised Policy had been attached as an Appendix to the main report, and its main principles were to promote proportionate, consistent and targeted regulatory activity through the development of transparent and effective dialogue and understanding between the Council and those that they regulated.

Two issues were brought to the attention of the Cabinet by Members present. Firstly, in section 3.6 – Targeted – it was felt that the Council would be reactive in the private sector, responding to complaints from tenants, whereas the current wording would be more relevant to the public rented sector where the Council could survey the available housing stock and deal with those properties in the worst condition first. The Private Sector Housing Manager confirmed that the Council would deal with each case reported and make an assessment of its severity; cases would then be dealt with in order of severity. It was suggested that the wording of this section should be amended accordingly to reflect the current reality. The second issue concerned the wording of the ‘Verbal Advice’ section under Enforcement Options. It was felt that this wording was confusing and might not be understood by private tenants. It was felt that this section was really outlining a range of circumstances for which verbal advice to the landlord concerned would suffice.

The Portfolio Holder welcomed the comments and acknowledged that the Verbal Advice section should be revised accordingly. It had also been highlighted that a link to the Council’s Housing Charter had been missing, but the Charter would be added as a new Appendix to the Policy.

Decision:

(1)        That the ‘Verbal Advice’ section of the Enforcement Options within the Policy be revised to improve its readability and understanding for Private Sector Tenants;

(2)        That the Epping Forest District Council Housing Charter be added as an Appendix to the Policy; and

(3)        That the updated version of the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy, attached as an appendix to the report and amended as above, be approved and adopted.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure that service users were fully aware of what to expect from the Council, and could be satisfied that they would be treated fairly and proportionately.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To not adopt a policy. However, this would leave the Council open to criticism, and in breach of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006.