Private renting: Practical solutions

The Shelter Good Practice Unit’s new project aims to identify and promote local authorities’ good practice in private renting.

The project is ambitious but practical. It will look at the existing challenges in working with the private rented sector, then work intensively with 3-6 local authorities to analyse, advise and support improvement in their practice. The resulting information and experience will form the basis of a blueprint for the private rented sector that Shelter will promote across the country.

Why do we need this project?

• growing Government emphasis on private renting as a solution to housing need
• increase in duties placed on local authority private sector housing departments but staff often lack the specific skills and experience required in this sector
• variation in practice and a lack of co-ordination within and between local authorities
• local authorities feel overstretched in meeting the demands of Housing Act 2004 legislation and many are merely fire-fighting
• Housing Act 2004 is in its infancy- it provides useful tools but work remains to be done to ensure these tools are used to full effect.

Shelter’s role:

While Shelter does not advocate the use of private rented housing for vulnerable individuals, this project will address the reality of the situation as we find it.

We intend to work with local authorities to help them ensure that where the private rented sector must be used, it is appropriately coordinated and supported, and can provide stable and sustainable tenancies.

Shelter has expertise which can be useful to local authorities in developing their strategic direction, in ensuring that the needs of tenants are taken into account and that tenancy deposit/bond schemes, accreditation schemes and licensing are all designed to deliver genuine improvements to tenant’s housing conditions.

The project aims to enable better sharing of good practice examples between local authorities and to establish the genuine practical challenges and solutions in private sector housing.