Labour’s Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, is recruiting 10 people to enforce a new initiative he’s calling his ‘Good Landlord Scheme’.

The 10 staff are being recruited to tackle bad private ate rental housing and take action against landlords not maintaining their properties.

Greater Manchester’s Good Landlord Scheme, funded through £1.5m from the Housing Investment Loans Fund, is creating the new roles across the city. 

Publicity for the scheme says that “over the course of a three-year placement, trainees will develop a range of skills in housing enforcement, deploying the unique powers that officers have to advise landlords of their responsibilities and act where they find bad practices and poor-quality housing. They will work to support tenants struggling with homes that may be damp, cold, insecure, or structurally unsound, gathering evidence and taking legal action against the worst offending landlords.”

It says no previous experience is required. 

Burnham says: “Hundreds of thousands of people living in the private rented sector in Greater Manchester rely on their landlords to uphold a decent standard and look after their homes. When those things are done properly, tenants can get on with their lives – but when they’re not, it can take a huge toll on their physical and mental wellbeing. In the very worst cases, it can pose a serious threat to their safety.

“That’s when housing enforcement officers have a vital role to play in supporting tenants and taking enforcement action against unscrupulous landlords. 

“The Good Landlord Scheme is one way that we’re responding to this growing issue, by boosting the capacity of our local councils to carry out inspections and intervene. We’re also going to be bringing forward a Good Landlord Charter next year, which will help us drive up standards in the sector and deliver on our ambitions for greater control over housing in our city-region.”

As well as the trainee programme, the Good Landlord Scheme is delivering on-the-job training for current enforcement officers to boost their skills and knowledge. 

It will also provide funding support for local authorities within the Greater Manchester area o introduce new enforcement tools like selective licensing, where private landlords are required to be licensed by the council and meet certain standards, and develop new information and guidance for tenants and landlords.

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