Agenda item

Purpose

1.    The purpose of the report is to present the City Council's strategy for the Private Rental Sector (PRS) in the city for approval.

2.    The report provides an executive summary, objectives and actions as outlined in the strategy document.

3.    The report contains the outcome of the consultation undertaken during September 2020 - November 2020 of the draft Private Rental Sector Strategy. 

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member

1.    Notes the consultation feedback on the draft Private Rental Sector Strategy amounting to 458 responses.

2.    Approves the Private Rental Sector Strategy 2021- 2026 for Portsmouth. (Appendix 1) and agrees the final strategy will be published on the PCC website.

3.    Approves the implementation of the actions within the strategy and delegates to the Director for Housing Neighbourhood and Building Services the ability to deliver those actions within existing resources or to provide necessary information to allow the Cabinet Member to make decisions in relation to any requirement for additional resources necessary to implement these actions. 

4.    Approves that the following actions that were included in the 2020 PRS consultation are prioritised as they received the highest level of support. These actions are outlined in sections 6.7 & 7.3 of this report but are summarised below.

             I.        Unlicensed HMOs: To continue to deal proactively when an unlicensed HMO is reported (88% of consultation respondents said very high or high priority) and Professional standards of regulation: Ensure that officers responsible for regulating the PRS are trained to a professional standard and capable of meeting the needs of the strategy (84% of respondents said very high or high priority). These actions are expected to be achieved in year one of the strategy.

            II.        Workshops: (A) To work with landlord groups to provide workshops on how to be a good landlord. (B) To work with tenancy groups to provide workshops on how to be a good tenant, aimed at helping a tenant to maintain a tenancy (76% of respondents said very high or high priority) and Mediation: Create a mediation service between landlords and tenants to help improve security of tenure. (72% of respondents said very high or high priority). These actions are expected to be achieved in year one of the strategy.

          III.        That the following action is also brought forward as it will help to support people to find homes in PRS as the impact of the lifting of the COVID-19 eviction ban is felt. Financial support: To undertake a pilot of the rent deposit and bond scheme. This action is expected to be achieved in quarter one of 2021/22.

5.    Notes that the following additional actions are expected to be achieved by 31 March 2022. These actions are summarised. Full details are in section 6.8 of this report. These actions are expected to be delivered within current budgets. 

     I.        Communication/information: To provide information for tenants, expand the current website, investigate a single communications and web strategy with stakeholders.  

    II.        Governance: To develop the current HMO governance board into a multi-agency partnership group to oversee this strategy

  III.        Shared services: To work with stakeholders to increase the understanding of the services that could be provided across Portsmouth to support the PRS.  

  IV.        Council internal processes: To implement the revised supplementary planning document for HMOs. Review enforcement policies to make them more transparent. Work with other local authorities to find new ideas to support the PRS. Ensure that data sharing is maximised within legislation.  

   V.        Pilots: To approach the MHCLG to look for support for the implementation of this strategy, including piloting some of the changes identified in section 7 of this report.

  VI.        Additional licencing for HMOs:  A Decision will be required on the appropriateness of a consultation on reintroducing additional licencing for HMOs. This decision is anticipated to be made in the summer or early autumn of 2021 as the PRS becomes more stable and we move away from the pandemic. Further information is contained in section 7.3.5 of this report.

2.1. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness notes the

consultation feedback on the draft Private Rental Sector Strategy amounting to 458

responses.

2.2. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness approves the

Private Rental Sector Strategy 2021- 2026 for Portsmouth. (Appendix 1) and agrees

the final strategy will be published on the PCC website.

2.3. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness approves the

implementation of the actions within the strategy and delegates to the Director for

Housing Neighbourhood and Building Services the ability to deliver those actions

within existing resources or to provide necessary information to allow the Cabinet

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Member to make decisions in relation to any requirement for additional resources

necessary to implement these actions.

2.4. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness approves that

the following actions that were included in the 2020 PRS consultation are prioritised

as they received the highest level of support. These actions are outlined in sections

6.7 & 7.3 of this report but are summarised below.

2.4.1. Unlicensed HMOs: To continue to deal proactively when an unlicensed

HMO is reported (88% of consultation respondents said very high or high

priority) and Professional standards of regulation: Ensure that officers

responsible for regulating the PRS are trained to a professional standard and

capable of meeting the needs of the strategy (84% of respondents said very

high or high priority). These actions are expected to be achieved in year one

of the strategy.

2.4.2. Workshops: (A) To work with landlord groups to provide workshops on how

to be a good landlord. (B) To work with tenancy groups to provide workshops

on how to be a good tenant, aimed at helping a tenant to maintain a tenancy

(76% of respondents said very high or high priority) and Mediation: Create a

mediation service between landlords and tenants to help improve security of

tenure. (72% of respondents said very high or high priority). These actions

are expected to be achieved in year one of the strategy.

2.4.3. That the following action is also brought forward as it will help to support

people to find homes in PRS as the impact of the lifting of the COVID-19

eviction ban is felt. Financial support: To undertake a pilot of the rent

deposit and bond scheme. This action is expected to be achieved in quarter

one of 2021/22.

2.5. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness notes that

the following additional actions are expected to be achieved by 31 March 2022.

These actions are summarised. Full details are in section 6.8 of this report. These

actions are expected to be delivered within current budgets.

2.5.1. Communication/information: To provide information for tenants, expand the

current website, investigate a single communications and web strategy with

stakeholders.

2.5.2. Governance: To develop the current HMO governance board into a multiagency

partnership group to oversee this strategy

2.5.3. Shared services: To work with stakeholders to increase the understanding of

the services that could be provided across Portsmouth to support the PRS.

2.5.4. Council internal processes: To implement the revised supplementary planning

document for HMOs. Review enforcement policies to make them more

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transparent. Work with other local authorities to find new ideas to support the

PRS. Ensure that data sharing is maximised within legislation.

2.5.5. Pilots: To approach the MHCLG to look for support for the implementation of

this strategy, including piloting some of the changes identified in section 7 of

this report.

2.5.6. Additional licencing for HMOs: A Decision will be required on the

appropriateness of a consultation on reintroducing additional licencing for

HMOs. This decision is anticipated to be made in the summer or early autumn

of 2021 as the PRS becomes more stable and we move away from the

pandemic. Further information is contained in section 7.3.5 of this report.

Patrick Lee, Interim Head of Private Sector Housing, introduced the report.

Councillor Corkery was concerned that aspects such as officers being trained to a professional standard were not already in place. Landlord licensing is the single measure which would have the biggest effect on renters and should be pursued.

Mr Lee said landlords were asked about additional licensing rather than selective licensing. 66% of private renters compared to 48% of landlords who took part in the survey gave a 62% rating of high or very high priority in favour of further consultation on re-introducing additional licensing. Councillor Payter-Harris requested updates on proposals, for example, the pilot with the MHCLG. He acknowledged the council is limited in what it can do; for example, it cannot make landlords and tenants go to mediation.

Councillor Sanders noted that all groups see the need for change. There are people on housing waiting lists who would use the private rented sector but are deterred by the lack of security. Selective licensing has been discussed for years but does not seem to achieve what it purports to do. Evidence shows there are complaints in areas with a large amount of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO), for example, parts of Somerstown. It is interesting how little has changed between the first and second consultations despite Covid. Landlords and tenants need help and want the council to do more and better. The council should improve what it does already, for example, dealing with problem HMOs and supporting those who cannot enter the housing market, especially after Covid restrictions on evictions are lifted. He thanked officers for their report and asked them to report back on mediation and the MHCLG pilot. 

1. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness notes the consultation feedback on the draft Private Rental Sector Strategy amounting to 458 responses.

2. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness approves the Private Rental Sector Strategy 2021- 2026 for Portsmouth. (Appendix 1) and agrees the final strategy will be published on the PCC website.

3. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness approves the implementation of the actions within the strategy and delegates to the Director for Housing Neighbourhood and Building Services the ability to deliver those actions within existing resources or to provide necessary information to allow the Cabinet Member to make decisions in relation to any requirement for additional resources necessary to implement these actions.

4. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness approves that the following actions that were included in the 2020 PRS consultation are prioritised as they received the highest level of support. These actions are outlined in sections 6.7 & 7.3 of this report but are summarised below.

4.1. Unlicensed HMOs: To continue to deal proactively when an unlicensed

HMO is reported (88% of consultation respondents said very high or high

priority) and Professional standards of regulation: Ensure that officers

responsible for regulating the PRS are trained to a professional standard and

capable of meeting the needs of the strategy (84% of respondents said very

high or high priority). These actions are expected to be achieved in year one

of the strategy.

4.2. Workshops: (A) To work with landlord groups to provide workshops on how to be a good landlord. (B) To work with tenancy groups to provide workshops on how to be a good tenant, aimed at helping a tenant to maintain a tenancy (76% of respondents said very high or high priority) and Mediation: Create a mediation service between landlords and tenants to help improve security of tenure. (72% of respondents said very high or high priority). These actions are expected to be achieved in year one of the strategy.

4.3. That the following action is also brought forward as it will help to support

people to find homes in PRS as the impact of the lifting of the COVID-19 eviction ban is felt. Financial support: To undertake a pilot of the rent deposit and bond scheme. This action is expected to be achieved in quarter one of 2021/22.

5. That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Preventing Homelessness notes that the following additional actions are expected to be achieved by 31 March 2022. These actions are summarised. Full details are in section 6.8 of this report. These actions are expected to be delivered within current budgets.

5.1. Communication/information: To provide information for tenants, expand the current website, investigate a single communications and web strategy with stakeholders.

5.2. Governance: To develop the current HMO governance board into a multiagency partnership group to oversee this strategy

5.3. Shared services: To work with stakeholders to increase the understanding of the services that could be provided across Portsmouth to support the PRS.

5.4. Council internal processes: To implement the revised supplementary planning document for HMOs. Review enforcement policies to make them more transparent. Work with other local authorities to find new ideas to support the PRS. Ensure that data sharing is maximised within legislation.

5.5. Pilots: To approach the MHCLG to look for support for the implementation of this strategy, including piloting some of the changes identified in section 7 of this report.

5.6. Additional licencing for HMOs: A Decision will be required on the

appropriateness of a consultation on reintroducing additional licencing for

HMOs. This decision is anticipated to be made in the summer or early autumn

of 2021 as the PRS becomes more stable and we move away from the

pandemic. Further information is contained in section 7.3.5 of this report.