The government is today allocating £1m “to create new ways of helping tenants engage with their landlords and have more influence over decisions that affect them.”
The initiative is aimed primarily at the social housing sector, on the day that Awaab’s law takes effect.
As part of the £1m spend, up to £100,000 will be granted to successful bidders who propose what the government calls “strong ideas” for improving communication between landlords and tenants and help tenants have more of a say in how their homes are managed.
A statement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says innovative ideas could include online platforms, marketing campaigns or recruiting specialist personnel who can support tenants to improve their experiences in social housing.
“This will help replace the outdated, inefficient ways of communicating that leave tenants feeling unheard and waiting too long to get issues resolved by their landlord” according to the statement.
As has been heavily trailed, the first phase of Awaab’s Law comes in today and will force social landlords to take urgent action to fix dangerous homes.
The new legal duties will see landlords forced to fix emergency health and safety hazards within 24 hours of reporting. They must also investigate significant damp and mould within 10 working days of being notified and then make properties safe in five working days.
For both types of hazards, they must also write the findings to tenants within three working days of inspection.
As part of the reforms, social landlords now must also consider the circumstances of tenants which could put them at risk – including young children and those with disabilities or health conditions. Alternative accommodation must also be offered if homes cannot be made safe within the required timeframes.
This article is taken from Landlord Today