Andy Burnham has launched the public consultation of the ‘Good Landlord Charter’, aiming to tackle both the housing crisis and landlord practices deemed "unacceptable".
The initiative is set to benefit both landlord and tenants in Greater Manchester.
The first of its kind, the charter has three key aims: to drive up housing standards, to recognise good practice, and to support local tenants.
Andy Burnham started the launch of the consultation on Monday by saying he hoped 2024 will go down as the year when Greater Manchester finally got serious about the housing crisis.
Andy Burnham hopes 2024 will go down as the year when Greater Manchester finally got serious about the housing crisis
GB News
He also explained to the room that they would be cracking down on sub-par landlords.
He said: “It’s not going to be an option anymore for landlords to fail to look after their tenants properly... we’re calling time on that; that is not acceptable anymore.
"And to show that, for those who won’t join the charter, we’re going to give our residents the right to request a property check.”
A key focus of the charter is to allow residents to be able to make the distinction between good and bad landlords, so that when they’re looking to rent, they know they’re doing it with someone of a certain standard.
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He hopes the initiative will benefit both landlords and tenants
PA
However, it’s also supposed to be mutually beneficial for landlords, by also holding tenants to account if they fail to meet certain standards.
Sian Astley, a residential landlord in the Greater Manchester region, told GB News that she agreed with this, and that the charter shouldn’t just be about going after “rogue landlords.”
She said, “it should cover absolutely all landlords, and do it fairly and equitably.
Helen Cooper, another landlord in the city region, acknowledged the benefits of being recognised as a “good landlord.”
She also suggested it would be mutually beneficial for tenants, comparing it to websites like ‘CheckATrade’, which helps people find reliable tradesmen.
The public consultation is now open until February 26, with the official launch of the Good Landlord Charter set for some time in the Summer of this year.
