1        LANDLORD ACCREDITATION SCHEME - The Director: Economy and Environment submitted a joint report updating the Cabinet Members on the work carried out to progress an enhanced Landlord Accreditation Scheme in North Lincolnshire, and seeking approval of the development of a scheme in partnership with Decent and Safe Homes (DASH) commencing in April 2022.

Under the Housing Act 2004 that the council had a responsibility to ensure residential houses and flats were safe and secure, warm, dry and free from potential hazards that impacted on the health and safety of occupants.

The Private Rented Sector (PRS) was an important part of the housing available in North Lincolnshire and a safe, well managed sector contributed to the council’s outcome of Safe and Well.  It also delivered safe, secure homes which fulfilled a basic need and provided a springboard for life.

The PRS was operated by many good landlords, however there were some landlords that operated illegally and allowed their homes to be rented to vulnerable tenants with a disregard for housing standards and the impact this had on the health of tenants and the wider community.

The council operated a risk-based approach to the enforcement of housing standards which was targeted at those properties and landlords that posed the greatest risk to their tenants and the surrounding community.

The council currently ran a small landlord accreditation scheme within North Lincolnshire but recognised that if the sector was to be further enabled to develop and maintain robust and healthy housing availability, the council needed to review and deliver a strengthened scheme.  This would enable the council to support good landlords and help address minor disputes between landlords and tenants without the recourse to enforcement.  It would allow enforcement resources to be targeted towards criminal landlords and create space within the market for more good landlords, as criminal landlords left the marketplace.    

Resolved – (a) That the development of the scheme, as set out in the report, in partnership with DASH, with the scheme rollout commencing in April 2022, be approved, and (b) that the Director: Economy and Environment be authorised to approve the discount to future licence fees and renewals resulting from participation in the DASH scheme.