Greater Manchester mayor wants to tackle ‘profiteering landlords’

Greater Manchester’s mayor, Andy Burnham, has slammed the region’s housing system which is facing a £75 million temporary accommodation bill for families facing eviction.

Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester’s ‘Mayoral Hotseat’, Mr Burnham called for a comprehensive restructuring of housing policies, pointing to a sharp rise in households requiring temporary homes.

He targeted ‘profiteering landlords’ who, he claims, exploit public funds through the benefits system while neglecting property maintenance.

Mr Burnham said: “Too many [landlords] have been profiteering, collecting public money from the benefits system for renting out properties and not reinvesting a penny of it into the upkeep of those properties.

“You go around Greater Manchester, and you can see streets where that is the case.”

He also told the interviewer that the authority’s Good Landlords’ Charter will be extended to the social housing sector.

71% rise in temporary accommodation

A report from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) last year revealed that 5,000 households, including 7,000 children, are currently in temporary accommodation across the region.

This marks a 71% surge in such households since 2020, far outpacing the 26% increase seen across England.

The report warned that annual spending on temporary housing could soon reach £75 million, as councils struggle to meet their legal obligations to house evicted families.

Mr Burnham says the crisis is down to a shortage of council-owned homes, forcing local authorities to rely on costly private rentals.

He said: “The 10 councils of Greater Manchester are spending £75 million a year on temporary accommodation for families who have been evicted, because they have a duty to house them.

“But they’re often forced to go to the most expensive part of the private rented sector because there’s not enough council housing.”

Rise in social housing complaints

The mayor’s comments come amid growing concerns about the state of social housing, with the Housing Ombudsman last week reporting a near 500% rise in complaints over poor living conditions in the past five years.

Issues such as damp, mould, asbestos, electrical faults, fire safety risks, pest infestations and leaks have plagued tenants, many of whom live in properties managed by councils and housing associations.

However, Mr Burnham argues that the root of the problem lies in housing policies dating back to the 1980s, particularly the Right to Buy scheme, which he believes set the sector on a misguided path.

To address the crisis, he wants the government to empower local authorities to build more council housing, giving them greater control over the sector.