Issue - decisions

Decision:

Cabinet

1.            Approves the draft South Kesteven District Council Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy

2.            Delegates authority to the Cabinet Member for Housing to make minor amendments to the policy that may be required to support its continued effectiveness

Reasons for decisions

1.            Report number ENV708 of the Cabinet Member for Housing and the draft policy attached as Appendix 1 to the report

2.            The number of homes in the private rented sector in South Kesteven totalled approximately 12,700

3.            The priority theme within the Housing Strategy 2017-2021 to encourage, support and regulate the private sector to provide well managed, safe homes

4.            New legislation that introduced a range of measures to target the small minority of landlords and agents who rent out substandard accommodation and harass their tenants

5.            Provisions within the Housing Act 2004 that allow the Council to recover reasonable expenses related to certain functions

6.            The summary of responses received as a result of consultation on the draft policy

7.            The initial equality analysis attached as Appendix 2 to report number ENV708

Other options considered and rejected

The Council is not obliged to introduce civil penalties as an alternative to prosecution and could continue with the current enforcement options. However, the enforcement policy will still require updating to reflect the recent changes to legislation.