The latest agenda in Mayor Andy Burnham’s agenda for Greater Manchester was announced yesterday with plans for a landlord charter for the region to be rolled out by the end of the year
Four in ten people in the region currently rent, many left with no choice but to rent in the private sector and while Rental figures are at their a highest level in 40 years, many people are not happy with the situation they are in
The tragic case in Rochdale of Awaab Ishak has turned the attention to the rental sector and Mayor Burnham believed that a Greater Manchester policy could stand as a national template
The region have been working for more than a year on standards and regulation for social housing providers in the city-region, and this work – alongside national standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing – will provide a firm foundation for Greater Manchester’s own scheme.
These include working with the GMCA and local authorities to ensure that social housing providers uphold the regulatory standards as they are now, including the new tenant satisfaction measures from 2023
Work collectively on influencing new national standards, such as those set out in the Social Housing Regulation Bill and the Better Social Housing review and Regularly and clearly communicate regulatory standards for social housing residents and to review how each social housing provider reports, records, and remedies disrepair claims
Deputy Mayor Paul Dennett said:
“Today represents a major step towards introducing a Good Landlord Charter for Greater Manchester, making us the first place in the country to bring forward a commitment of this kind. It will provide a firm, clear, and practical set of standards that will recognise good practice and enable us to work with partners across the sector to drive up housing standards.
“It’s clear that some landlords or housing providers out there are not upholding existing standards, and the consequences of this can be devastating to tenants’ health and wellbeing. We want to set the benchmark for what good housing ought to mean right across Greater Manchester, close the gaps that exist between different organisations in the sector, and ensure that tenants have clarity and confidence in housing standards in our city-region.”
Charlie Norman, Chair of Greater Manchester Housing Providers, said:
“At the heart of Greater Manchester Housing Providers’ ethos is the belief that everyone in Greater Manchester has the right to a decent, healthy, safe and affordable place to live. Across our 24 members we own or manage over 250,000 homes in the city region, and we have a shared commitment to continuous improvement of standards and quality.
“We welcome the opportunity to work with the Mayor, our partners, and most importantly tenants and residents across Greater Manchester, to help develop the Good Landlord Charter and ensure everyone in both the private and social rented sector lives in a place they can be proud to call home.”
