Andy Burnham claims the Good Landlord Charter will raise standards without driving landlords out
1 year ago | 16 comments
Andy Burnham proposes compulsory purchase orders for PRS homes
9:40 AM, 12th February 2026, 2 months ago
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The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has called for compulsory purchase orders for private rented sector (PRS) homes that are non-decent.
Speaking at the Resolution Foundation’s Unsung Britain conference in London, Mr Burnham set out his three points to fix the housing crisis.
As Mayor, Mr Burnham launched the Good Landlord Charter, which covers 50% of rented homes in Manchester.
Councils to purchase homes in PRS
Setting out his ideas, Mr Burnham claimed that with the right action, Britain could free itself from the housing crisis.
His first point included a new target of building half a million council and social homes by the end of the decade.
Mr Burnham then argued that councils should be given greater powers to tackle poor housing conditions in the PRS.
He told the conference: “We should give powers and funding to councils to compulsorily purchase homes in the private rented sector that are non-decent.
“You should no longer be allowed to rent out a home with the help of the benefits system when its condition harms the health of residents and drags down the surrounding community.”
He admitted it was a radical idea but insisted it was necessary to tackle the housing crisis.
He said: “Homes that were taken out of public ownership have been left in disrepair and exist to make money for absent landlords, while everyone else pays the consequences.”
His third point focused on accelerating a nationwide retrofit programme.
He claimed: “This will give millions of people better-quality homes with permanently lower energy bills, even possibly freeing them entirely from the worry of energy costs.”
PRS homes must meet DHS
Mr Burnham’s comments come as the government announced all PRS and social homes will need to meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2035.
Under the new standard, landlords will need to meet certain criteria, including that homes must be in a reasonable state of repair and provide core facilities and services, including a kitchen with adequate space and layout, an appropriately located bathroom and WC, and adequate protection from external noise.
However, according to government data, landlords will need to fork out £26.5 billion to meet the new standard.
Mr Burnham’s comments on fixing the housing crisis can be seen below from 15:00 onwards.
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Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 205
8:57 AM, 13th February 2026, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Jonathan Clarke at 13/02/2026 – 08:15
I had a house, that the council decided to compulsory purchase to knock it down, to make an additional entrance into a park.
They decided they did not have to pay me market rate, because I bought it well below market value (council can see all purchase prices through stamp duty system).
So they decided on a “fair” profit for me (I think it was 10% more than I bought it for).
Well that was decades ago, and the house is still standing.
Member Since March 2015 - Comments: 124
1:12 PM, 13th February 2026, About 2 months ago
Hahaha!!
Most local authorities I know aren’t able to compulsory purchase property that have been stood empty for years so they can bring them back into habitable occupation!
Member Since January 2023 - Comments: 317
8:34 PM, 13th February 2026, About 2 months ago
If Burham gets the reins of PM then LLs are in for serious pain. Unfortunately the NRLA won’t save us as they are already coseying up to his LL charter in Manchester.
Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 32
10:14 PM, 13th February 2026, About 2 months ago
Good for Burnham. I have an ex council north london flat. A few years back tenant on a Sunday sent an e mail complaining about mold / damp. I had a qualified damp surveyor instructed 1st thing Monday morning but nevertheless served non warrant access notice by that council Tuesday. Threatening all kinds of action. Less than 36 hours from receipt of thr tenants observations. Remedial works carried out but council bad mouth me to the tenant. Same flat, now, having bad damp leaks from social housing ( council) flat above since January 2025 ( 13 months ago). Council have done nothing. Lawyers instructed going to court. Council signed up promoting the rolling out of Awaabs legislation with strict 5 days 10 day timescales to inspect and undertake works October 2025. And still no action – nothing. Not even a reply to straightforward communication. Again nothing. Empty flat – can’t relet or sell in that condition. So for anyone from that party to suggest this, is abhorrent given my exposure to their expectations on one hand with hard core threats and performance on the other when basic standards and service not unreasonably expected . Their legislation exposes me to penalties up to incarceration. But nothing for their employees hiding behind so called claims of being under resourced and if “threatened “ with sacking and more the protection of unions. So Burnham think before you come up with these vacuous “vote friendly” mandates.
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 620
11:27 PM, 13th February 2026, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim at 13/02/2026 – 22:14
You make a very good point.
I have one ex-local authority flat in South West London and three times I have had problems with leaks coming from the flat above.
The council also promised to upgrade the front doors to meet the required fire standards and four years on they have not been done. They send somene out to inspect them occasionally.
On two occasions we had penetrating damp caused by the councils failure to fix a downpipe and on one of these occasions the tenants had to move out while the builders fixed the problem.
Why would the councils need to compulsory purchase more problem properties when they have enough of their own?
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 1447 - Articles: 1
2:36 PM, 14th February 2026, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Crouchender at 13/02/2026 – 20:34
The NRLA are not for landlords but a profit making Ltd.
When will people realise
Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 14
7:27 AM, 16th February 2026, About 2 months ago
11 Properties if they want them. Only selling at market rate and not a penny less.
Isn’t King of The North in charge of the area where poor awab suffered? Who was at fault there? Not PRS.
Virtue signaling fool talks about buying properties of PRS, with what? Also how are they going to build a further 1/2 million properties, if the builders cannot throw them up then how are a council with a bunch of bone idle workers off sick every other week. Or sat at home having a wellness day..! Get A Grip You Lefty Fool
Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 14
7:32 AM, 16th February 2026, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by David100 at 13/02/2026 – 08:57
David, we only have to look at the properties compulsory purchased for HS2 to show the level of incompetence involved in this kind of nonsense.
Member Since October 2024 - Comments: 197
12:04 AM, 18th February 2026, About 2 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Ian CB at 12/02/2026 – 10:05
It’s the council themselves who have properties in disrepair and bad conditions.
Why don’t they first sort those properties first from the rent they receive? If insufficient rent received then they need to raise the rent.
Buying properties that are in bad condition, does not mean the councils will spend anything on it. They will just confiscate the properties and continue letting to the same tenants
The cost of maintenance on properties is very high especially when tenants are not working and stay home 24 hours and mess it up.