New Rogue Landlord Guidance Long Overdue

Responding to new guidance published today by the Government on rogue landlords, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has welcomed the guidance but criticised it for being long overdue.

Earlier today, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published two sets of guidance covering both landlord and tenants rights and responsibilities in the private rented sector, and rogue landlord enforcement and guidance for local authorities.

The rogue landlord guidance looks at issues such as assessing and managing a local authority’s private rented sector, the powers that local authorities have to take action against rogue landlords, and practical advice for officers.

MHCLG have also stated that following their nationwide programme of workshops, rolled out to help enforcement officers learn from one another, the guidance published today aims to ensures that those responsible for protecting tenants can use the powers available to them to maximum effect.

Tamara Sandoul, Housing Policy Manager at CIEH, said:

"This new guidance is a welcome development, but long overdue.

We have been in need of clear and up to date guidance bringing together local authorities' powers on housing enforcement for some time, but we are glad that it has finally materialised

We hope this document prompts a more proactive approach towards private rented housing from all authorities. However, we recognise that the ability to implement this guidance effectively depends on locally available resources and local political will to do so.

We look forward to continuing to work with government to improve housing standards across the country."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For enquiries please contact Ross Matthewman, Head of Policy and Campaigns, at [email protected].

About the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH):

CIEH is the professional voice for environmental health representing almost 8,000 members working in the public, private and non-profit sectors. It ensures the highest standards of professional competence in its members, in the belief that through environmental health action people's health can be improved.

Environmental health has an important and unique contribution to make to improving public health and reducing health inequalities. CIEH campaigns to ensure that government policy addresses the needs of communities and business in achieving and maintaining improvements to health and health protection.

For more information visit www.cieh.org and follow the CIEH on Twitter.