Private Sector housing

What do we do?

The Housing Standards Team look after issues to do with private sector housing, including both owner occupied and private rented accommodation. We make sure that houses are fit for people to live in, that they are safe and free from public health nuisances. We provide free help and advice and where necessary enforce the law on housing standards. We aim to prevent and sort out any problems first of all.

Our services include:

• carrying out general housing conditions surveys to identify the problem areas;
• dealing with individual unfit or overcrowded houses;
• inspecting and taking action to make sure hostels, bedsits, flats and houses occupied by more than one are fit to live in and safe;
• declaring clearance areas or making demolition orders where its not feasible to renovate property;
• running our Landlord Accreditation scheme in partnership with the North Staffordshire Landlords Association. (see Housing home page for further details);
• stopping public health nuisances such as filthy premises and defective drainage;
• monitoring the supply of drinking water and taking any needed action;
• responding to general enquiries about housing standards;
• promoting good property and management standards by encouraging landlords to sign up to our landlord accreditation scheme;
• providing training and advice for accredited landlords; and
• promotional work and training.

What powers do we have?

Officers from the Housing Standards Team have various powers given to them by law to allow them to carry out their duties. Other powers are given to the city council as a housing authority and delegated down to individuals who then act on behalf of the council. The following is a brief summary of the powers available to us. We can:

• enter premises to carry out both programmed and reactive inspections and surveys;
• serve notices to stop nuisance or to ask for housing defects to be corrected within a reasonable period of time;
• carry out works listed in notices, if the person responsible doesn't carry out the work in time and respond to any appeals against notices;
• order the closure or demolition of houses which are unfit for people to live in and beyond their useful life.
• reduce the number of people occupying a house to prevent overcrowding;
• buy houses for demolition or rehabilitation; and 
• ask for additional facilities and fire safety works for certain classes of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO’s).

What laws do we enforce?

We serve notices and take action under many laws to deal with unsatisfactory housing conditions and stop public health nuisances.

In addition to enforcing the law we can give informal advice and distribute information on various matters such as gas safety, tenants rights and so on.

Other roles

• We help develop new housing strategies with reference to private sector housing
• We tell people about changing law and guidance relating to specific aspects of private sector housing.

Contact details

To contact the Environmental Health Officers and Environmental Health Assistants who work in the Housing Stadards Team.

Telephone  01782 232087
Fax   01782 232217

e-mail housing.standards@stoke.gov.uk 
For more information visit the website   www.landlordaccreditation.co.uk

Address:

Housing Standards Team
Directorate of Community and Adult Services
PO Box 634
Civic Centre
Glebe Street
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 1RJ