Cherwell Council welcomes progress in major housing bill

The council supports the report which provides recommendations to improve the private rented sector.

Amongst the recommendations is the requirement to provide greater security for tenants through increasing the periods of time landlords have to wait before selling or reletting their property.

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The proposed legislation would also introduce a legally binding decent homes standard and an ombudsman for all private rented sector landlords.

This will help to ensure that tenants have access to safe, secure and good quality accommodation.

The timely report calls on government to consult with local authorities to ensure the civil penalties regime is fit for purpose.

This will have the added value of ensuring that local authorities can take action through enforcement when necessary and work to drive out irresponsible landlords.

Councillor Nicholas Mawer, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “We applaud the House of Commons’ recommendations to the Renters Reform Bill.

“We have previously called for these crucial reforms to be brought forward and are pleased to see that progress is being made to bring these before the government.

“For residents who rely on the private rental sector, especially those on lower income, poor quality homes make life much harder.

“The current cost of living crisis means that supporting our most vulnerable residents has never been more important.

“It is a basic right for tenants to feel safe in their own homes and be confident in the standard of housing they should receive, regardless of tenure.”

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1