Agenda item

10.44pm – Councillor Lisa Homan moved, seconded by Councillor Adam Connell, the special motion in the names:

“This Council recognises the important contribution the Private Rented Sector makes to the provision of housing in the borough and notes that one third of all Hammersmith & Fulham households now live in a private rented home.

We recognise that the majority of private landlords renting out properties in Hammersmith & Fulham are good landlords who work in close partnership with the Council. However, the Council regrets that this is not the case for all landlords and recognises its statutory obligations to ensure that no private rented sector tenant is living in substandard accommodation.

This Council resolves to support the steps being taken by the Labour administration to consult with tenants and landlords on additional measures that can be introduced to improve the quality of the private rented sector in Hammersmith & Fulham. 

The Council further applauds the Labour administration’s ambition to provide a proactive, fit for purpose service that gives confidence to our many residents who are private tenants. 

The Council notes that this action is sadly long overdue as there were no steps to improve the Private Rented Sector under eight years of the previous Conservative administration.”

Under Standing Order 15(e) (vi), Councillor Harry Phibbs moved, seconded by Councillor Andrew Brown, an amendment to the special motion:

“Delete all after second paragraph and insert:

This Council notes that between 4th November 2014 and 23rd November 2015 there were:

§  553 complaints received by the Council about private rented properties.

§  3 prosecutions of private landlords made by LBHF.

§  9 improvement notices served by LBHF.

§  0 Rent Repayment Orders made.

This Council further notes that selective and additional licensing schemes:

§  Are expensive and bureaucratic.

§  Punish law abiding landlords.

§  Amount to a Tenant’s Tax, since landlords will be able to recover the cost of licensing through increased rents.

And resolves to use its existing powers to tackle bad landlords rather than indulge in the expensive gimmick of selective and additional licensing which will only increase burdens on good landlords and their tenants.”

The amendment was then put to the vote:

FOR                            17

AGAINST                   23

NOT VOTING             1

The amendment was declared LOST.

The substantive motion was then put to the vote:

FOR                            23

AGAINST                    0

NOT VOTING             18

The substantive motion was declared CARRIED.

10.45pm - RESOLVED

This Council recognises the important contribution the Private Rented Sector makes to the provision of housing in the borough and notes that one third of all Hammersmith & Fulham households now live in a private rented home.

We recognise that the majority of private landlords renting out properties in Hammersmith & Fulham are good landlords who work in close partnership with the Council. However, the Council regrets that this is not the case for all landlords and recognises its statutory obligations to ensure that no private rented sector tenant is living in substandard accommodation.

This Council resolves to support the steps being taken by the Labour administration to consult with tenants and landlords on additional measures that can be introduced to improve the quality of the private rented sector in Hammersmith & Fulham. 

The Council further applauds the Labour administration’s ambition to provide a proactive, fit for purpose service that gives confidence to our many residents who are private tenants. 

The Council notes that this action is sadly long overdue as there were no steps to improve the Private Rented Sector under eight years of the previous Conservative administration.