Andy Burnham pledges crackdown on poor-quality PRS homes

The Prime Minister has warned landlords who rent out the “worst-quality homes” will be given warnings and could ultimately face having their properties taken over by councils.

Speaking at the Labour Party conference, Andy Burnham also said he would reform Right to Buy and tackle the empty homes crisis.

The comments come as the government announces plans to strengthen leaseholders’ rights, including tighter regulation of property agents and a cap on fees.

Rented homes in a poor state of repair

Mr Burnham claimed that too many homes in the private rented sector are in a poor state of repair.

Addressing the Labour Party conference, Mr Burnham said: “You will find rented homes in a poor state of repair on so many British streets. Homes which harm the health of the people living inside them and drag down the streets around them.

“The worst of it is often owned by absent landlords, who are paid through the benefits system but refuse to reinvest in the upkeep of their properties.

“It is time to call an end to this. Landlords who rent out the worst-quality homes will be given warnings to improve them. If they refuse, we will make it much easier for councils to acquire those homes, and we will legislate if necessary.”

Mr Burnham added: “We don’t let people sell food that damages people’s health, so why should we allow it with homes? From now on, we won’t. This is what I mean by taking back control with our communities.”

Council housebuilding revolution

Mr Burnham added that the government would reform Right to Buy and launch a council housebuilding revolution.

He said: “I am specific about council homes because we need to restore stronger democratic control over our housing stock.

“We will help councils build again and make it affordable by building on unused public land. We will reform Right to Buy, not taking the right away from anyone in an existing home, but removing it from the new homes we build, so they are there for generations to come.”

The news comes as the government have announced councils in England will be able to take control of homes left empty for six months under government plans to cut the current two-year threshold.

Councils will also no longer need to provide evidence relating to anti-social behaviour or community support when seeking an order through the Residential Property Tribunal.

Industry reaction

Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said further clarity is needed on how the proposals would work in practice.

He said: “Addressing poorly maintained properties should remain a key concern, with local authorities across England working closely with residents, landlords and property agents to understand why properties may fall below the required standard.

“Every case will have different circumstances, so any proposals must be proportionate and recognise the individual circumstances of the property and those living in it.

“Further clarity is needed on how the proposals would work in practice, including carrying out remedial work with a tenant in situ, the responsibilities of different parties, and how properties would be managed if they passed into local authority control or ownership.

“With the new ‘Register Your Rental Property Service’ being implemented for landlords from December, councils will have greater access to information to support targeted, intelligence-led enforcement. The focus should be on making better use of existing tools rather than simply adding another layer of legislation and potentially damaging relationships between good landlords and government.

“Any new proposals should deliver a fair, proportionate and tailored approach that achieves sustainable, long-term outcomes.”