Better Renting project to drive up standards in Greater Manchester’s rental market
Private renters across Greater Manchester are set to benefit from a new programme to improve compliance among landlords.
It comes after research for the TDS Charitable Foundation found that difficulties keeping up to date with changes to policy and regulation is a key driver of landlords across Greater Manchester struggling to comply with their obligations.
Nationally, over a fifth (21%) of landlords feel that it is difficult to keep up with changes to the laws and regulations that affect their rental properties. MPs on the cross-party Housing Select Committee have also highlighted the importance of addressing unintentional non-compliance by landlords.
With almost 250,000 households across Greater Manchester in the private rented sector, the Better Renting programme being launched today will develop practical tools to drive up landlord compliance with their obligations, benefitting renters and landlords alike.
Alongside a new website providing a single point for landlords in Greater Manchester to remain compliant, the programme will develop and test initiatives to improve understanding of landlord responsibilities, including licensing requirements. It will also develop resources to help councils and other stakeholders work and communicate effectively with landlords, supporting implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act and helping tenants benefit from more consistent landlord compliance.
It comes at a pivotal moment for the private rented sector as the Government implements the biggest set of reforms to the sector for a generation, including ending no fault repossessions, developing a new private rented sector database and ombudsman, and introducing new energy efficient standards for rented housing.
The project is being led by The Dispute Service (TDS) Group and the Nationwide Foundation and follows the Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter identifying a need for steps to improve compliance rates among landlords.
The TDS Group is the leading tenancy deposit and dispute resolution provider and works to raise standards across the private rented sector. The Nationwide Foundation invests in projects, partnerships and people to support good housing now and for the future.
Dr Jennifer Harris, Head of Policy, Research and Social Impact at The Dispute Service Group, said:
“The vast majority of landlords want to do what is right for their tenants and remain compliant with all their obligations. However, our research shows that fragmented channels of communication and difficulties accessing official resources are making this harder than it should.
“Working with partners across the region, Better Renting will develop the resources needed to ensure landlords across Greater Manchester have what they need, when they need it, to meet their obligations at a pivotal moment for the sector.”
Kate Markey, Chief Executive Officer of The Nationwide Foundation said:
"Better Renting an important part of Nationwide Foundation's commitment to support landlords and improve standards for renters in Greater Manchester. The Renters' Rights Act is a seismic opportunity to transform our housing system for the better, so it is vital that we support people and places to turn that legislation into tangible change on the ground."
Paul Dennett, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester and City Mayor of Salford, said:
“For too long, too many renters have faced poor housing conditions, insecurity and a system that can be difficult to navigate, while landlords have been expected to keep pace with an increasingly complex set of rules and responsibilities. With almost 250,000 households in Greater Manchester renting privately, we shouldn’t accept a situation where the quality of someone’s home depends on luck. The Renters’ Rights Act is the biggest opportunity in a generation to reset the relationship between landlords and tenants, strengthen protections and raise standards across the sector, but those reforms must be matched by practical support if they are to deliver real change for communities.”
“That is why I strongly welcome the Better Renting programme. It supports Greater Manchester’s ambition to create a fairer, better and more accountable rental market by helping responsible landlords do the right thing, giving tenants greater confidence, and ensuring new rights translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives. Alongside our Good Landlord Charter, investment in enforcement and our wider Housing First ambitions, this programmes is another step towards a future where every renter can expect a safe, secure and well-managed home, and where higher standards become the norm, not the exception.
About the TDS Group
· The Dispute Service (TDS Group) – the leading Tenancy Deposit Scheme which operates on a non-profit basis across the UK.
· Further details can be accessed here.
About the TDS Charitable Foundation
· The TDS Charitable Foundation works in England and Wales to advance education about housing rights and obligations in the private rented sector, especially in regard to:
- Best practice in the management of private rented housing.
- Legal rights and obligations of those involved in the provision or management of private rented housing.
- Using alternative dispute resolution for more efficient and effective resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
· It is funded mainly by donations from TDS Group.
· Further details can be accessed here.
About the Nationwide Foundation
· As the charity of Nationwide Building Society, the Nationwide Foundation invests in projects, partnerships and people to support good housing now and for the future. Further details can be accessed here.
Good Landlord Charter
· The Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter works to raise renting standards across Greater Manchester by supporting landlords to aim for higher standards than the minimum they are required to meet by law. Its implementation unit is run by TDS Group.
· Further details can be accessed here.
Other notes
· Details of the study on tackling unintentional non-compliance among private landlords can be accessed here.
· The most recently published Voice of the Landlord survey by the TDS Charitable Foundation found that 21% of landlords feel that it is difficult to keep up with changes to the laws and regulations that affect their rental properties. The survey is based on a representative sample of around 2,000 landlords in England and can be accessed here.
· In July the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee published a report on the private rented sector in which it flagged the need to tackle unintentional non-compliance by landlords. The report can be accessed here.
· According to a briefing on the 2021 Census the Greater Manchester Combined Authority suggested that there were 242,034 households in Greater Manchester in the private rented sector at the time of the Census. Details can be accessed here.
