Good Landlord Charter launches in Manchester to raise rental standards

A Good Landlord Charter has been opened for registration in Greater Manchester, with Mayor Andy Burnham saying it would make renting in the city better.

The voluntary scheme is for landlords to “commit to higher standards than currently required by law”. It will be open to all landlords, including small and large landlords, in both the private and social rented sectors.

It has been developed by social landlords in Greater Manchester, and some larger landlords have already committed to their involvement, an update shows.

The charter has seven fundamental principles:

• Affordable – Tenants should understand how their rent and other fees are set and should not be overcharged.

• Safe and decent – ​​tenants should be able to live free from physical or psychological discomfort in their home.

• Responsive – Owners must respond satisfactorily to repair requests, correspondence, and complaints.

• Well managed – owners or managing agents must be competent.

• Inclusive – no tenant should have a worse experience because of who they are.

• Private and secure – tenants should be free to enjoy their home and make it their own.

• Support – Tenants should have essential information and extra support if needed.

Burnham also set a target of 75,000 new homes in Greater Manchester over the course of the Parliament, including 10,000 net-zero properties. That is a third more than the city region’s share of the million and a half homes the current government has promised.

Burnham said: “Our message to the new government is: Greater Manchester is ready to build. We have a comprehensive plan for new homes and growth, connected by an integrated transport system in the Bee Network.

“But we know that new homes alone will not solve the housing crisis. Without good, safe housing, people cannot reach their potential, and places cannot grow.

“That’s why the Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter will put the power back in the hands of tenants, alongside developing a new right to a Property Check, while supporting and recognising landlords who go above and beyond.”

Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, added: “Regional mayors like Andy Burnham are key to our promise to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament. We are working closely with them to drive growth in every part of this country, giving them new powers to build homes and delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housing construction in a generation.

“I completely support Andy’s mission to build more affordable homes and his support for renters. We will reform the private rental sector, giving millions of renters more security in their homes.”

More delegated powers

It comes as Deputy Prime Minister Rayner announces a “devolution revolution” to move more powers away from Westminster.

She wrote to local leaders urging them to take on powers in areas such as transport, housing, planning and employment.

Rayner said: “For too long, (the) Westminster government has held back and withheld opportunities and potential for towns and villages across the country.

“Last week, with the Prime Minister, I had the pleasure of meeting the Metropolitan Mayors in England. We discussed how to have a proper, grown-up conversation about economic growth and how to deliver this through better housing, skills and jobs for local people.”

“I want to work with more places to help them use these enhanced powers and roles – because I want to drive growth in every part of the country. For any area considering this, now is the time to dive in and talk to us about how we can work with you to transform your region,” Rayner added.

Greater Manchester has been named as a success story for devolved power, with the Mayor saying it has “been around longer and the powers are deeper”. The Mayor of Greater Manchester is being urged to invest in the city, boost skills and develop an integrated transport system.

An EY report last year suggested that Greater Manchester was one of the fastest growing cities and that its economic growth would outpace that of the UK by 2027.

Shekina is Deputy Editor at Mortgage Solutions and Commercial Editor at Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions. She has nearly eight years’ experience in the B2B publishing industry, having previously covered the hospitality, retail, pet, accounting and jewellery sectors. Shekina has worked for Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions for nearly five years. Here, she covers the latest market news, interacts with industry professionals and oversees any commercially agreed content in partnership with mortgage-related companies. This includes presenting webinars and hosting roundtables on developing topics in the mortgage industry. She is an NCTJ-trained journalist and was shortlisted for the Headline Money Awards Mortgage Journalist of the Year in 2021. In her spare time, Shekina enjoys reading, travelling, listening to music and socialising with friends. She currently reports on current events in the mortgage market and engages with financial clients to produce sponsored content. Follow her on Twitter @ShekinaMS