Administrative and enforcement duties concerning the private rented sector and social housing
Case reference FOI2023/01692
Published 14 November 2023
Request
This FOI request is for the attention of officers who oversee administrative and enforcement duties concerning the private rented sector and social housing for the council.
1. The number of complaints received per year by tenants related to private rented sector housing per year for the following years:
2021/2022
2022/2023
2. The number of complaints received per year by tenants related to social housing per year for the following years:
2021/2022
2022/2023
3. The number of Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) inspections carried out per year on PRS properties for the following years:
2021/2022
2022/2023
4. How many improvement notices have been served in relation to Category 1 and/or Category 2 hazards on PRS properties per year for the following years:
2021/2022
2022/2023
If possible, please list the total number of Improvement Notices served exclusively because of category 1 hazards.
2021/2022
2022/2023
5. The total number of formal enforcement notices served: Overcrowding Notices (Housing Act 2004 Part 2) on properties in the PRS for the following years:
2021/2022
2022/2023
For clarification, the data I'm generally after service of overcrowding notices served for larger HMOs that are covered in Part 2, which have a licence that only permits a house to be licensed for a specified number of occupants.
6. For each year since the offence was introduced, the number of civil penalties (if any) issued to private landlords for the following offences:
a) Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (England) Regulations 2015
b) The Electrical Safety Standards in the PRS (England) Regulations 2020
7. Optional open box question to council officers: we want to explore any potential barriers councils face with enforcement of the PRS and what policy/legislative changes central government can make to remove the barriers and increase uptake of certain aspects of enforcement as and when it is required.
Therefore, we want to hear from council officers directly on what are the main barriers they face with issuing and enforcing civil penalties in the PRS currently. So, for example, factors like a lack of resources/funds, lack of legally trained staff, court waiting times etc.
Response
This FOI request is for the attention of officers who oversee administrative and enforcement duties concerning the private rented sector and social housing for the council.
1. The number of complaints received per year by tenants related to private rented sector housing per year for the following years:
2021/2022 - 166
2022/2023 - 165
2. The number of complaints received per year by tenants related to social housing per year for the following years:
2021/2022 - 41
2022/2023 - 52
3. The number of Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) inspections carried out per year on PRS properties for the following years:
2021/2022 - 26
2022/2023 - 35
4. How many improvement notices have been served in relation to Category 1 and/or Category 2 hazards on PRS properties per year for the following years:
2021/2022 - 2
2022/2023 - 5
If possible, please list the total number of Improvement Notices served exclusively because of category 1 hazards.
2021/2022 - 1
2022/2023 - 2
5. The total number of formal enforcement notices served: Overcrowding Notices (Housing Act 2004 Part 2) on properties in the PRS for the following years:
2021/2022 - 0
2022/2023 - 0
For clarification, the data I'm generally after service of overcrowding notices served for larger HMOs that are covered in Part 2, which have a licence that only permits a house to be licensed for a specified number of occupants.
6. For each year since the offence was introduced, the number of civil penalties (if any) issued to private landlords for the following offences:
a) Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (England) Regulations 2015
1
b) The Electrical Safety Standards in the PRS (England) Regulations 2020
1
7. Optional open box question to council officers: we want to explore any potential barriers councils face with enforcement of the PRS and what policy/legislative changes central government can make to remove the barriers and increase uptake of certain aspects of enforcement as and when it is required.
Therefore, we want to hear from council officers directly on what are the main barriers they face with issuing and enforcing civil penalties in the PRS currently. So, for example, factors like a lack of resources/funds, lack of legally trained staff, court waiting times etc.
There are a lack of resources and a national lack of qualified professionals willing to work in local government.
Documents
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