Rogue landlord crackdown shuts down unfit homes

A crackdown on rogue landlords has shut down severely overcrowded and pest-infested homes, and even uncovered a house being used as a cannabis farm.

Oldham Council has agreed to consult on expanding its selective licensing scheme for private landlords to cover ten of the wards in the borough.

Currently the scheme, which was launched in 2015, operates in Alexandra, Coldhurst, Hathershaw, Hollinwood, Oldham Edge, Primrose Bank, St Mary’s and Waterhead.

Under the proposals, it would be extended to Chadderton South, Shaw, St James, and Werneth.

At a cabinet meeting on Monday night (December 16), council leader Sean Fielding told councillors poor quality rented housing is a ‘significant issue’ across many parts of the borough.

The existing scheme requires all landlords to be registered with the council and obtain a five-year licence, which costs £490 per property.

It is a criminal offence to operate a privately rented property without a licence, and to fail to comply with the conditions of a licence.

Since its launch thousands of would-be landlords have been rejected for licences. A number of death-trap rented properties – where tenants faced hazards including electrocution and falling down the stairs – have also been shut down.

At a house in Hathershaw, police were given information that a privately rented home was being used as a cannabis farm, with tampered electric and gas meters.

When police raided the dwelling they found it was being used as a ‘professionally set up’ cannabis farm, and the occupier was living in the kitchen due to the rest of the house being ‘full of plants’.

The person living in the home said they were a victim of trafficking.

The occupier was taken into custody, the drug plants and equipment were seized and destroyed, and the landlord and agent were invited to a formal interview to proceed to prosecution.

The scheme also saw a family ‘known for committing criminal activities actively within the area’ evicted from another privately rented house in Hathershaw.

Officers said the property was being kept in a poor condition and stolen goods were being stored at the address.

During an audit in Hollinwood, a council officer was told that a premises was privately rented and overcrowded. 

A warrant was obtained from magistrates and council staff and police visited the house and found it was being rented without a licence and was severely overcrowded.

It was also in a state of ‘severe disrepair’ and was infested by pests, with waste piling up in the back yard because tenants couldn’t open the gate to put the bins out.

The tenants had been made to pay five months rent upfront, despite having ‘very limited’ income,. They had a disabled adult child, who was blind and could not walk, and a child suffering from ‘severe despression’.

Following that visit, which found the tenants had limited English, concerns were raised that the family was being ‘taken advantage of by the agent, and were struggling on their own to deal with several issues, were vulnerable and isolated’.

Through the selective licensing scheme, the council were able to order works be taken to bring the property up to standard and serve a formal notice for pest control and overcrowding.

Officers were also able to refer to a community outreach work to engage with the family to make sure they were receiving the right support.

At another property in Waterhead, six men were discovered to be living together in a house, despite it having no licence as a house in multiple occupation.

Officers ruled there was an ‘imminent risk of severe harm or death’ for the residents, after finding there was no guard rail to the stairs and no natural light or ventilation to an occupied bedroom and bathroom.

Coun Fielding told the cabinet meeting: “The evidence is that the selective licensing scheme where it has been running has improved the quality of housing for local people.

“We know that there is a particular problem with low quality housing, particularly in the private rented sector and it’s a significant issue for many ward members around case work and accountability of landlords is obviously a problem for lots of people. 

“Hopefully we will be able to use these powers to improve the quality of housing for the people we represent.” 

Cabinet member for health, Zahid Chauhan, added it was a ‘genuine consultation’ and encouraged people to participate when it launches in January.

Image by Flickr/Mikey