Housing Information for Landlords and Tenants

Information for Tenants:

 If you are a tenant and are concerned that the conditions/outstanding repairs of your rented property are affecting your health and/or safety you should in the first instance contact your landlord and/or Housing Association to give them a chance to resolve the matter.

If the works haven't been completed or you are still concerned, then please contact the Domestic Team, Environmental Services, by phoning 01353 665555.

We may give you advice over the phone or email, or if we consider it necessary an Officer may arrange to visit your property to complete an inspection under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. 

For some general information we have produced some leaflets:

Information for Landlords:

If you are a local landlord we always initially try and work with you to resolve issues and our aim is to improve housing standards. We will always try to assist you with advice to assist you to do this. There are many good landlords within our district providing well maintained homes and we want this to continue. That is why our Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2019  is designed to be both fair to responsible landlords but also deal effectively with uniformed or rogue landlords.

Where a landlord does not comply, the Policy allows the Council to Charge the landlord for certain notices and if the notice is not complied with, the Council can consider either carrying out Works in Default, which is very costly and includes officer time or can serve a Civil Penalty, with a maximum penalty up to £30,000 for certain offences.
 
If you have a House in Multiple Occupation please also see the Houses In Multiple Occupation pages.
 
When you are a landlord it is good to look at all the hazards within the home to try and address these and the Homes Safety Checklist is a good start.
 
There should be an annual Gas Safety Certificate (where necessary), Electrics should be checked at least every 5 years, Carbon Monoxide Detector (where necessary), a Smoke detector on each floor, adequate thermal insulation i.e. loft, double glazing, adequate heating that can be controlled, no fall risks, adequate lighting, personal facilities for washing, personal hygiene, food preparation and storage etc.

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015

These regulations are to ensure that::
  • all private rented properties have a working smoke alarm fitted on each floor of the property that is used wholly or partly as living accommodation 
  • a Carbon Monoxide alarm is fitted in any room containing a solid fuel appliance e.g. log and coal burning stoves, open fires 
  • Checks are made on or behalf of the landlord to ensure that each alarm is in proper working order at the start of each tenancy.
Where the Council find a contravention, a Remedial Notice will be served within 21 days asking the landlord to carry out works to comply with the regulations within a reasonable period. If the notice is not complied with, a penalty charge will be imposed.
 
£500 for the first offence (reduced to £400 for quick payment within 14 days of the remedial notice)
£1000 for a second offence;
£5000 for third and subsequent offences.

Smoke Free Law in Private Rented Properties

If you are a landlord of a property, you must display no smoking signs within any communal areas to comply with the regulations.