Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
The Department also does not know in detail what challenges local authorities are facing, and...
Conclusion
The Department also does not know in detail what challenges local authorities are facing, and lacks an early warning system to identify where local regulation is failing private renters. It does not collect data, for example, on the number of complaints, the number of inspections, or the number of staff who carry out tenancy relations duties that tackle harassment and illegal eviction. The Department does not have a national framework to provide intelligence and support to local regulators and enable them to work together effectively. It could learn lessons from other areas of consumer protection where this type of support exists, such as Trading Standards services.25 Landlord licensing
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
3: PAC conclusion: The Department is not doing enough to support local authorities to regulate effectively. 3: PAC recommendation: The Department should take a more proactive approach to supporting local regulators and sharing good practice. To do so, it should learn from other consumer protection systems that provide central intelligence and support to local regulators. 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2023 3.2 The department recognises the value in sharing good practice across LAs and have supported them to develop their approaches to driving up standards through e.g., roadshows. The department has reinvigorated its engagement programme with LAs and will continue to expand its reach across England to design and implement its reforms. 3.3 The government will support local councils to crack down on poor practices and enforce this new standard and explore different ways of working with landlords to speed up adoption of the Decent Homes Standard. 3.4 The government will: • run pilot schemes trialling improvements to enforcement of existing standards • strengthen LAs’ ability to tackle criminal landlords including seeking to increase financial investigative powers. • bolster national oversight of LAs’ enforcement by requiring them to report on their enforcement activity will also be explored. • seek to introduce a national framework for setting fines to drive a more consistent approach to setting fines building on best practice of local authorities. • continue to fund the National Trading Standards Estates and Lettings Agency Team to deliver guidance and training to LAs’ enforcement teams and their roll-out of the Intelligence Database project enabling effective collaboration and intelligence sharing. 3.5 The Private Rented Property Portal will provide access to information about privately rented properties helping LAs deliver more targeted enforcement. 3.6 The government will work with LAs to share selective licensing schemes best practice. 3.7 The department has engaged with other government departments during the development of the reform package set out in ‘A Fairer Private Rented Sector’ and will continue to use learning from other consumer protection systems while implementing these reforms.