Portsmouth residents asked for views on renting homes

TENANTS and landlords in the city will be asked about their experiences to help the city council make private renting 'easier and safer.'
Residents will be asked for their thoughts on private renting in the cityResidents will be asked for their thoughts on private renting in the city
Residents will be asked for their thoughts on private renting in the city

After calls from Labour councillors to enforce a mandatory licensing scheme on all Portsmouth landlords fell through last week, a wider, evidence-based strategy to improve private renting conditions was proposed.

Portsmouth City Council's housing boss, Councillor Darren Sanders, approved the new scheme at a meeting on Tuesday (Oct 21) that will look into a raft of options including selective licensing, targeted inspections and compulsory landlord registration, as well as an informal consultation with the public.

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Speaking at the housing meeting Cllr Sanders said: 'There are many issues that affect people who rent privately.

'Part of the problem is there's no one solution. If we go down one route, the licensing route, you're not going to deal with people with rent arrears and poor conditions and that's what people are crying out for.

'We as a city deserve a Portsmouth-based scheme. And we need to do things based on evidence not our theories.'

However, Cllr Cal Corkery - who proposed the original motion on landlord licensing - had some fears. He said: 'I am concerned that the report is just pushing landlord licensing further down the line.

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'There are a lot of people in the private rented sector being treated poorly and we should do everything we can to improve their lives.'

Residents can share their thoughts on private renting in the city by emailing [email protected]. The informal consultation will close on December 15.

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