Prime Minister Andy Burnham's plan to give councils greater power over private rented homes “have the potential to make a real difference for people across Liverpool”.
Mr Burnham used his Labour Party conference speech in the city to announce widespread action against rogue landlords who leave properties in a poor state or uninhabited, with new powers for councils.
Restoring democratic control of housing stock
Mr Burnham said he is “specific about council homes because we need to restore stronger democratic control of the housing stock”. The Old Roan-born Labour leader said the changes were “key to rebuilding our common wealth.”
The Prime Minister earlier stressed that housing is key to public health and opportunity, describing the importance of the planned biggest council house building programme since the post war era in putting “the care for people I got from my mum and dad at the heart of the running of the British state.”
Council building and right to buy reform
He said: “We will help councils build again and make it affordable by building on unused public land. We will reform right to buy, not taking the right away from anyone in an existing home, but removing it from the new homes we build so they are there for generations to come.
“Rebuilding our common wealth. Restoring the public housing stock to what it once was, not just by building new, but acting on the private rented stock too.”
Mr Burnham promised widespread action against rogue landlords who leave properties in a poor state or uninhabited, with new powers for councils. He added: “If they refuse, will will make it much easier for councils to acquire those homes, and we will legislate if necessary.”
Reactions from Liverpool housing leaders
Cllr Hetty Wood, Liverpool Council cabinet member for housing, said measures announced by the Prime Minister could have a significant impact for renters across the city but stressed words needed to be backed by action. She said: "Many of the announcements made at conference have the potential to make a real difference for people across Liverpool.
“The strengthening of tenants' rights is particularly welcome. Too many renters have faced insecurity and uncertainty for too long, and reforms that provide greater stability and protection will help people put down roots in their communities with confidence.
“We also welcome measures that give councils stronger tools to prevent homelessness and intervene earlier when households are at risk of losing their home.”
Cllr Wood said councils like Liverpool, who are often dealing with growing housing pressures, needed new powers to be matched by the resources needed to use them effectively.
She added: “Liverpool continues to face significant demand for affordable and social housing, alongside growing pressures on temporary accommodation. We are already taking action locally through our empty homes programme, new housing developments and partnerships with housing providers, but national reform and investment are essential if cities like ours are to meet housing need.
“Ultimately, the success of these reforms will be measured by whether they lead to more genuinely affordable homes, stronger protections for renters and fewer people facing homelessness. Those are goals we fully support.”
ACORN Liverpool is the city's branch of the community union that has fought for housing changes since its formation in 2014. The group has worked alongside tenants in the Welsh Streets to fight increasing rents.
Martin Mawdsley, the union branch secretary, said: “We welcome the government's announcements for social housing and homelessness. Phasing out Right To Buy, giving councils more power to take homes into social ownership, and the new powers of referral and collaboration are all very good.
“Although whether this new wave of social housing will actually be built, and whether the homes will actually be owned and maintained by councils rather than private housing associations, will have to be seen to be believed, and won't solve issues in private renting in the short term.
“We are concerned the revived help to buy scheme will be a failure like the last one which mostly only benefitted developers and actually led to higher prices. If the government really wants to help first time buyers, there's much more they could do, such as stopping developers sitting on land which they have permission to build on - which artificially chokes supply and keeps prices high - improving the quality standards of new homes and estates which are often terrible, and tackling the soaring private rents which are stopping renters saving up for a proper deposit in the first place, by reintroducing rent controls.”
