Housing and Homelessness Summary Year end 2020-21

The Private Sector Housing Team (PSH) introduced a robust method of monitoring of hazards removed and homes improved.

During 2020-21:

The Private Sector Housing (PSH) Team

• Completed 344 inspections and visits to homes in the private rented sector. Many of these were virtual assessments due to the pandemic.
• Received 156 requests from tenants to investigate disrepair in their privately rented property.
• Removed 220 serious hazards including 53 hazards assessed to be Category 1 hazards using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
• Improved the safety of 179 homes.
• Issued 133 licences to operate a House in Multiple Occupation.

In addition, Colchester Borough Council needed to serve:

• 4 Improvement Notices and 1 Suspended Improvement Notice for Category 1 and 2 hazards on non-compliant landlords, to secure compliance with housing standards.
• 2 Prohibition Orders on 2 properties/parts of properties that were considered too unsafe to be lived in.
• 2 other statutory notices were served requiring works under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. 1 of these notices required the Council to undertake the works in default of the property owner as they were unable to comply with the notice.
• 7 Notices of Intent to serve financial penalties on individuals or companies managing properties without being members of an approved property management redress scheme with 2 of these proceeding to the issue of a Final Notice.
• 5 Notices of Intent to serve Civil Penalty Notices were served on property owners for offences, as an alternative to taking prosecution proceedings under the Housing Act 2004. 3 of these have proceeded to the issue of a Final Civil Penalty Notice.