The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has called for “sustained” funding to help enforce the Renters Rights Bill once it becomes law.
This argument has been put to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee which is conducting an enquiry into English housing conditions.
In its evidence to the committee, the CIEH has highlighted that local authorities must have the staff and the training to ensure housing conditions are improved and maintained.
The CIEH is also calling for the introduction of legislation that would enable local authorities operating selective licensing schemes to use licence conditions to improve housing conditions, arguing that neither the Decent Homes Standard or Awaab’s Law will do enough in isolation.
This stems from the CIEH’s concern that the enforcement of Awaab’s Law will depend, ultimately, on the ability and willingness of tenants to take direct legal action against their landlords.
“This written evidence, which has been developed through our Housing Advisory Panel, is a substantial piece of work and an important contribution to the inquiry,” said Mark Elliott, president of the CIEH.
“We will continue to make the voice of environmental health practitioners heard on the need to tackle poor housing conditions.”
