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Problem Tenants: can private landlords learn from housing associations?

A pioneering project is matching private landlords with tenant management skills in a local housing association.

Salford council and the Irwell Valley Homes housing association have teamed up to launch the first training course in the country for private landlords whose tenants may be experiencing or causing problems.

The aim is to sustain tenancies by helping landlords draw up a clear action plan around domestic abuse, hate crime, hoarding and anti-social behaviour to avoid evictions. 

However, the course also sets out the correct legal procedures which landlords need to follow if it does become necessary to end the tenancy.

The scheme is also offering free mediation between private landlords and their tenants and one to one help if required. Private rented sector tenancies now make up a third of Salford’s housing market.

A council spokesperson says: “Anti-social behaviour is a blight on communities, and this is part of a package of measures we are using to deal with it.

“Social housing providers have established processes to tackle anti-social behaviour, hate crime and domestic abuse firmly but fairly. It makes sense to use their experience, knowledge and best practice in training to help private landlords who may never have experienced such issues before.

“Our aim is to help landlords to deal with the issues either through their own actions or mediation so the problems stop and tenants don’t lose their homes. That way everyone benefits.

“Fifty private landlords have already ‘road-tested’ the training and said they found it helpful. Very few of them had experienced problems but say they now feel more confident about recognising and dealing with issues if things should go wrong.”

And Linda Levin of Irwell Valley Homes adds: “As a not-for-profit housing provider, we know the real impact that anti social behaviour has on communities. That's why we have dedicated ASB teams and robust and regulated processes in place to deal with this.

“However, we understand that private landlords do not have these resources and that's why all too often, when ASB occurs in private rented homes, the tenant loses their home.

“We believe that by working together with private landlords, our ASB specialist can help them to successfully resolve issues and leave eviction as the last resort. 

“This training, that our ASB specialist has developed, will provide private landlords across Salford with the tools and support to work with their tenants and other involved parties, such as social housing landlords, the police and local authority, to resolve any ASB, sustain more tenancies and improve the communities they are part of.”

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.

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    It’s a good idea. But also I am NOT a social worker! If they have problems they can get out.

    If people were taught better in schools how to behave better there wouldn’t be so much ASB.

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    The ultimate aim is that all tenants will have a home for life when they rent privately.

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    I deal with the housing association’s as part of my job, if you get one of these tenants then get them out asap, they never change. Given what is happening with S21 I can see trouble ahead. I vet my tenants like MI5 !!

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    I have experienced these problems in the past and dealt with them very successfully, these days I pick and choose new tenants very carefully, and will continue with my blanket bans, benefit claimants are welcome to view and to apply, but they will not be moving in.

  • George Dawes

    In a word

    NO

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    “The aim is to sustain tenancies by helping landlords draw up a clear action plan around domestic abuse, hate crime, hoarding and anti-social behaviour to avoid evictions. “

    I do this by not renting to tenants who I think may fall into the above categories. I’m not a charity, if social housing wants to deal with people who will fight, wreck the property and make neighbours lives hell that’s up to them, but I have no interest in engaging.

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    Me neither, I've had some of those sorts in the past, best left to the social housing charities

     
  • PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    Its a bit ' Rich ' of Local Authorities to talk of Anti-Social behaviour, when dealing with it is THEIR responsibility under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
    Vast disparity amongst Councils up and down the country. Some of the leaders have dedicated ASB staff that work in conjunction with the Community Police. Other Councils just refer complaints to the police ( cuff them )

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    Tenants' need training not landlords'.

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