Purpose

 
This report seeks approval to accept
the grant of up to £2,000 of free training and support
services from Justice for Tenants and enter the contracts that sets
out terms on which these will be delivered.
 
Justice for Tenants is a non-profit
organisation that provides free advice and support for Tenants, and
training to local authorities. Using funding from central
government, Justice for Tenants will provide Sheffield City Council
(the Council) with training and support on imminent changes to the
process of serving Civil Penalty Notices on landlords who fail to
comply with formal enforcement actions taken against them.
 

Content

That the Interim Director of Housing approves
acceptance of the free support and services in respect of Civil
Penalty Notices up to the value of £2,000 and the Council
enters contracts with Justice for Tenants for delivery of such
services

Reasons for the decision

This is funding allocated from the Health and
Housing Charity Impact on Urban Health to support the regulation of
homes in the private sector with a focus on ensuring and improving
the likelihood of successful enforcement action, the imposition of
civil penalties (CPNs) on landlords who flaunt their legal
obligations, reducing the number of costly appeals relating to such
CPNs and increasing the likelihood of success should appeal be
brought. This in turn will reduce the financial burden on the
Department, by hopefully reducing the number of appeals brought
and also increase the amount of income
generated from the imposition of such CPNs, which can then be used
to fund regulatory and enforcement functions of the Private Rented
Sector.
 

Access to this funding and the funded
services, will result in the Service being able to quickly adapt to
anticipated legislative changes in the near
future, such as the upcoming Renters Rights Bill. This will
ensure that we are able to be legally compliant with the new
statutory duties faster than we would otherwise be. In doing so,
this would improve our future enforcement actions and guarantee the
safeguarding of the health, safety and well-being of renters across
Sheffield. Similarly, it would ensure that appropriate sanctions
are levied against landlords who flout their legal obligations
creating a more level playing field for compliant law-abiding
landlords.
 

 

Alternative options considered

No other body is offering the
same level of free funded services and so there are no other
alternative options to consider.