Conferences
Workshop Details
Workshop A - Using the HHSRS to achieve improvements in HMO/flat conversions Dave Beach and Rob Sale
HHSRS assessment and subsequent enforcement in relation to HMO bedsit accommodation provides additional challenges and complexities compared with dwellings that are occupied by a single household. Hazards such as Excess Cold, Fire and amenity provision need to be assessed in respect of each individual Bedsit/flat, where the impact of defects can often generate different bands/scores depending on the location within the house.
With regard to Excess Cold, the individual circumstances vary wildly between houses and between occupancies with different heating regimes and systems and different occupation types. When deciding upon remedial works, there are issues around, for example, the specification of double glazing, communal heating systems (controllability, payment etc) and the appropriate level of insulation to be provided. RPTs have now made a number of decisions which are relevant to enforcement in HMOs.
We want to look at the issue of HHSRS enforcement in HMOs. For example, in relation to Excess Cold, to explore forms of affordable heating, the desired "standard" of improvement and effectiveness of EPCs. One size doesn't fit all, with potential for numbers of different solutions even within the same building.
Dave Beach currently manages a team of surveyors working on the Government's English Housing Survey. Prior to this, he had over 15 years’ experience working in housing enforcement and housing policy at two London Boroughs.
Rob Sale has many years’ housing experience, both in the voluntary sector advising on tenants' rights and as a Housing Environmental Health Officer in two London Boroughs. Rob has been involved in policy development in the area of Excess Cold using the HHSRS and was a main contributor to the guidance issued by the London HHSRS group.
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Workshop B - Tackling Overcrowding - Paul Mishkin
There is a problem of dealing with overcrowding in non licensable properties; particularly the identification of the property and uncooperative but largely uncomplaining tenants, many with language difficulties. Landlords may not be aware of the overcrowding with many occupants claiming some other occupants are visitors. Neighbour complaints commonly relate to asb/noise/rubbish. Occupants from A8 Countries and other non EU Countries may have no recourse to public funds and can claim it is better being overcrowded than on the streets. Increasing poverty will bring increased problems. 80% of new-build properties are not passing the HRA standards for housing. We want to explore best practice when dealing with these difficult situations and how to use HHSRS for this purpose.
Paul Mishkin is an EHP at London Borough of Newham having an interest in health and housing matters. He has contributed to a number of publications on the subject including the LACORS Guidance on Overcrowding, CIEHs Good Housing Leads to Good Health and Professional Practice in Public Health. Previously Joint Chair of the National HMO Network he has sat on various working groups including the HHSRS Taskgroup and the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes.
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Workshop C - ‘Co-operation or Cash-cow' - Andy Kippax and Dave Offord
How do you see the Private Rented Sector in these times of financial restraint? Can Local Authorities work successfully with landlords with the pressure on to maximise income.'
The workshop will consider the different approaches and varying levels of fees and charges levied by local authorities under Housing Act provisions, and the impact these charges may have on the relationship between landlords and local authority officers. We will consider how the levels of fees are assessed, whether they disproportionately affect the worst landlords, and the success or otherwise of the different approaches in improving property condition'.
Andy Kippax is a qualified EHO, and for many years worked as a frontline enforcement officer in Manchester, before moving to Stockport MBC where he is now responsible for the Strategic Housing Service. This role includes full budgetary responsibility and financial monitoring, which inevitably involves the difficult task of managing challenging revenue and capital budget settlements and income expectations, with the need to deliver comprehensive front line housing services. Andy has also been a member of the HMO Network Steering Group for ten years.
Dave Offord qualified as an EHO and has over thirty years experience working in local government at both the front-line and as a senior manager. He was seconded to the ODPM/CLG to oversee the implementation of the licensing and HHSRS and currently works for the NLA helping its members with their local authority relationships and undertaking PRS projects.
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Workshop D - Studentification and Additional Licensing Debi Waite –Consultant to LG Regulation
The Housing Minister calls on Councils to use all existing powers at their disposal to tackle rogue landlords who fail to provide good quality accommodation and blight local neighbourhoods. With the majority of private tenants in England satisfied with the service they receive what courses of action can Councils consider as an effective method of dealing with the problem, before they consider additional and selective licensing, which affects the good landlords as equally as the rogue landlords.
Debi Waite, an Environmental Health Officer for 19 years, Debi has worked at several local authorities with each move offering her opportunities in a particular specialist area of housing. As Service Manager at Middlesbrough was the lead officer developing and implementing Selective Licensing, one of four trailblazing authorities in the early days of the Housing Act 2004. Debi recently left Local Government and runs her own Housing Consultancy Business.