The National Residential Landlords Association has welcomed a consultation proposal by Greater Manchester’s Labour Mayor, Andy Burnham.

Burnham’s Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter has many controversial ideas including giving all renters the right to request a property check, boosting  inspection and enforcement capability, and greater accountability of landlords to tenants. 

Now NRLA policy director Chris Norris says: “The vast majority of private landlords across Greater Manchester provide decent housing and a good service to their tenants. We therefore welcome the consultation’s commitment to ensuring those landlords meeting all their legal obligations are properly recognised.

“As we consider the proposals it will be vital to ensure that the laudable aims of the Charter are backed up by policies to make them a reality. That should include support for those landlords with the hardest to improve properties, improved enforcement to root out rogue and criminal landlords, and ensuring that content of the Charter is consistent with forthcoming changes in the Renters Reform Bill.”   

Last week Burnham told the BBC: “The days of bad landlords being untouchable are coming to an end” and added that Manchester would “not accept this whole culture of landlords sometimes taking money through the benefits system, public money, and then not putting a penny of that back into their properties.”

Burnham first raised the idea of a Good Landlord Charter early in 2023, having made the commitment back in 2021. 

At the time he said it would cover both the private and social housing sectors, and he commented: “Once again, Greater Manchester is leading the way and making a decisive move towards a new approach – one that we hope will join the dots between housing, health, wellbeing, and everything in between.

“From the way he led the government response to the appalling death of Awaab Ishak in Rochdale, I know that the Secretary of State understands the importance of this, and why we need better housing, stronger enforcement, and greater accountability across the board. 

“So do many partners across our city-region’s social and private rented sector – which is why we want to work with them to create a Charter that is as fair and robust as possible, and establishes a clear set of expectations for landlords and tenants.”