Andy Burnham will step up his fight against rogue Manchester landlords

Manchester’s newly re-elected mayor, Andy Burnham, has pledged to spend £600,000 of council tax money on a raft of measures to crack down on bad landlords.

Burnham’s measures include a property check scheme which gives tenants the right to request a property check, followed by enforcement measures – to ensure properties meet the decent housing standard.

The property check scheme will be trialled in Salford, while the Mayor will ask Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service to help carry out these checks.

Burnham said: “This new right to a property check for all residents, backed by new measures to protect tenants and crack down on rogue landlords, will empower the people of Greater Manchester and put us on track to become the only city Housing First in the UK. region.”

Burnham said around 23% (56,000) of privately rented homes as well as just under 17% (82,000) of rented homes do not meet the standard for decent housing.

But he added: “As many tenants feel unable to make complaints for fear of eviction, it is believed that the true number of bad tenancies may be as high as 40%.

Another measure introduced will be a new team of housing law experts who will advise tenants and identify opportunities to intervene when people are at risk of harassment and eviction.

Meanwhile, a pilot project will be launched with Oldham Council to see how central government and local councils can claim housing benefit back from landlords in cases where their homes are substandard.

The Good Landlord Charter, due to be launched this year, will work with landlords who want to co-operate with the council in trying to raise accommodation standards.

A survey of private renters in Greater Manchester found that over the past year:
• 43% of private tenants have experienced damp and mould.
• 31% were left without hot water or central heating.
• 20% had electrical problems.
• 20% live in a property with a leaky roof.
• 12% live with a pest infestation.