Too little too late-Government pledges council funding

The government has revealed which councils will win access to a £4-million pot to help them crack down on rogue landlords in England.

The cash, originally announced in November, will allow local authorities to take enforcement action against offenders and advise tenants of their housing rights.

Councils in the North West including Cheshire East Borough Council and Rossendale Borough Council will receive over £280,000 of funding

Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:

“This Government will deliver a better deal for renters.. It’s completely unacceptable that a minority of unscrupulous landlords continue to break the law and provide homes which fall short of the standards we rightly expect – making lives difficult for hard-working tenants who just want to get on with their lives.

“Everyone deserves to live in a home that is safe and secure and the funding announced today for the North West will strengthen councils’ powers to crack down on poor landlords and drive up standards in the private rented sector for renters across the country.”

Councils already have strong powers to force landlords to make necessary improvements to a property through use of a range of measures, including civil penalties and banning orders for the worst offenders.

Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey said the “puny commitment is a drop in the ocean compared to the cuts that councils have faced since 2010.”