Responding to the Government’s review and updating of the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System, the Local Government Association’s Housing spokesman, Cllr Martin Tett, said:
“We are pleased the Government has listened to the concerns of councils and is to overhaul the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System. This will help improve councils’ ability to uphold standards in the private rented sector.
“Successful regulation of the private rented sector requires an up-to-date system for assessing standards, so it is disappointing that government will not be reviewing and where necessary updating the statistical evidence that underpins the system, as this would better equip environmental health teams to protect tenants and support landlords.
“Moreover councils in England face an £8 billion funding gap by 2025, which needs to be addressed in the Spending Review if councils are to be able to maintain a thriving private rented sector which fully protects tenants.”