Agenda item

To consider the review and update of Housing Standards Policies prior to alignment of respective Polices across the Partnership (report of the Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services which asked that members to consider the update of the Housing Standards Policies prior to alignment of respective Policies across the Partnership.

The Group Manager, Safer Communities introduced the three draft Housing Standards Policies.

• Empty Homes Policy
• Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing Policy
• Enforcement Policy

The strategic objective of all 3 policies was to update and regularise existing policies across East Lindsey, South Holland, and Boston so that working practices and approaches were aligned.

These policies would be delivered within the partnerships existing resources.

The Group Manager, Safer Communities noted that the Councils current policies were fit for purpose and took into consideration the recently published “Private Sector Housing Strategy” previously discussed at PDP.

Empty Homes Policy

• The Group Manager, Safer Communities explained that the Empty Homes Policy would introduce a scoring and rating matrix to prioritise the properties of greatest concern to the Council. The policy would enable each individual council to utilise the powers and tools available to them, without committing all 3 Councils to the same activity, certain activities, such as compulsory purchase, could require a large resource commitment.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing Policy

• The Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing Policy would move away from a flat fee structure and would introduce a new fee structure separated in to 2 parts:

• • Part A for the application,
  • Part B would generate a fee per individual room.
• The policy would see the alignment of amenities and standard conditions and would introduce a risk rating for generating periodic inspections.
• The 3 appendices that accompanied this policy were:

Enforcement Policy

• The Enforcement Policy had been updated to reflect new schemes such as “Homes for Ukraine.”

• Accommodation inspections, along with the revision of fixed penalty amounts, would reflect the national model which was being steered by the Renters’ Rights Act that had just gained royal assent.
• The policy had revised the fee structure, by introducing a set fee for the service of a notice, followed by an additional fee for each hazard.
• The policy brought in an increase of fees attached to the service of Civil Penalty Notices which steered away from a matrix approach, by introducing set fees per offence this would align with the Justice for Tenants national model.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members expressed their frustration regarding the number of empty homes and the negative impact on neighbourhoods and stressed the importance of bringing those properties back into use to maximise the Councils housing stock.
  • The Group Manager, Safer Communities confirmed that the scoring matrix would prioritise properties causing the greatest concern or located in areas of high demand.
  • Properties that were likely to return to use naturally (e.g., probate cases) would not be prioritised.
  • Enforcement options would be considered where intervention was necessary.

• Members raised concerns about the size of this report (327 pages) and whether documents could be split or be provided earlier to allow sufficient time for review.
  • The Chairman acknowledged the concern and explained that the three policies were presented together for efficiency, as they were interlinked. Statutory publication requirements limited the flexibility on receiving agendas early.
    • Members emphasised that the issue was not the content but the short time frame for review. They requested that, where possible, future policies should be circulated earlier, or snapshots provided to assist preparation.

• Members asked for confirmation that enforcement applied to private properties as well as rented accommodation as it was unclear in the report.
  • The Group Manager, Safer Communities confirmed that it would apply to both private and rented properties and agreed to review the wording in the report to make it clearer.

• Members asked if the council could purchase empty properties, particularly those in probate, to bring them into the housing stock.
  • The Group Manager, Safer Communities explained that such decisions would fall under the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and strategic housing functions, which operated separately from enforcement. The suggestion would be fed back to the strategic housing lead.

• Members raised concerns about properties that were left empty for years and asked how residents could report those properties and what steps the Council could take to investigate ownership or occupancy.
  • The Group Manager, Safer Communities confirmed that once adopted, the policy would provide a clear route for reporting and investigation. The team could use tools such as Council Tax records and risk assessments to prioritise cases.
  • Options available ranged from advice and engagement through to compulsory purchase, depending on risk and feasibility.
    • Members stressed the importance of managing expectations for residents, noting that while powers such as Compulsory Purchase exist, they were rarely exercised due to financial and resource constraints. Members requested that the adopted policy clearly outlined what was realistically achievable and what enforcement options were available.
      • The Group Manager, Safer Communities explained that across the partnership, baseline data on empty homes was limited beyond headline figures. Initial work would focus on building a comprehensive dataset to inform prioritisation and future interventions.

• Members commented that the policy should not only set standards but also ensure adequate resources to implement them.
  • The Group Manager, Safer Communities acknowledged this and confirmed that feedback would be provided to Cabinet regarding resource implications.

• Members noted that GDPR restricted the sharing of personal information and requested guidance on what could be disclosed to residents.
  • The Group Manager, Safer Communities would confirm GDPR compliance and what data could be shared with residents.

• Members expressed concern that while the policy was comprehensive, it might lack practical impact without sufficient resources. Members stressed the need for the Council to demonstrate tangible outcomes, such as bringing empty homes back into use, and requested that progress be reported after implementation.
  • The Group Manager, Safer Communities advised that baseline data should be compiled within three months, with prioritisation completed within six months.
    • Members offered to assist by providing details of empty properties in their wards to accelerate the process.
      • The Group Manager, Safer Communities welcomed this support.

·         Members agreed that bringing empty homes back into use was preferable to building new homes and emphasised the need for Cabinet to consider resource implications to ensure the policy could be delivered effectively.

Councillor J Reynolds left the meeting at 8.05pm

AGREED:

1)    That following consideration that the recommendation of the Housing Standards Policies to Cabinet be approved.

2)    That the Policy development Panel be presented with an update on the Housing Standards Policies one year after adoption at Cabinet.