Thousands Of Buy To Let Homes Are Dangerous

A compliance company has accused “thousands” of buy to let investors of failing to address major household hazards which render properties dangerous. In the past 12 months VeriSmart has conducted over 60,000 property inspections and reports on rental properties with 4,521 resulting in at least one Housing Health & Safety Rating Assessment (HHSRS) per inspection - some involved three or more. Read more on the Letting Agent Today website.

https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2019/5/thousands-of-dangerous-buy-to-let-homes-exist-claims-compliance-firm?source=newsticker

Tenants' Lives At Risk After Government Refuses To Act On Weak Safety Rules

Tenants’ lives are being put at risk because the government has refused to beef up weak safety rules in rented housing despite the Grenfell tragedy, experts are warning. Hazards such as inadequate fire doors, faulty electrical equipment and dangerous heating systems cannot be tackled because officials are unable to prove they fail outdated guidance, they say. Ninety-seven per cent of environmental health professionals have called for action – with more than half reporting they had “witnessed hazards that could not be addressed”.  Read more on the Independent website.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/grenfell-tenants-lives-risk-weak-safety-rules-government-tragedy-warning-a8433481.html

Shelter Launches New Social Housing Commission

Shelter is preparing the report with the help from a panel of high-profile figures and the recommendations will be presented to parliament by the end of the year. A survey by the charity found almost half of families in social housing who reported unsafe or poor conditions felt they had been ignored or refused help. Problems included fire safety, gas leaks and electrical hazards as well as mould and pests. It is hoped the work of the commission will give such tenants a “far louder” say in the future of public housing policy, Shelter said. Read more on 24housing.

http://www.24housing.co.uk/news/shelter-launches-new-social-housing-commission/

Councils Fail To Take Action On 99 Per Cent Of Most Dangerous Rented Homes

Millions of private renters face being stuck in dangerous homes for decades because of a large-scale failure of local councils to take action against criminal landlords. New data seen by The Independent shows local authorities took action in relation to just 1.1 per cent of the most dangerous rented homes in England last year. The new figures, obtained by Labour MP Karen Buck via a Freedom of Information request, reveal English councils used their legal powers to take action in relation to 10,069 homes with these “category one” hazards last year – a tiny fraction of the total. Read more on the Independent website.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/councils-rented-homes-99-per-cent-unsafe-generation-rent-properties-karen-buck-property-a8168896.html