Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Housing

Purpose of report

To consider and approve the Council's new Tenants Charter for the tenants that live within its rented stock portfolio.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1      To approve the new Tenants Charter. The Tenants Charter sets out a new service standard that all tenants can expect to receive from the Council whilst they are living within properties the Council manages.

1.2      To approve the planned publicity and promotion to ensure a raising of the standards of rented properties within the District, following the motion at the Council meeting on 17 July 2023 that called on the Executive to;

·       Reiterate the basic rights of tenants across Cherwell and the responsibilities of landlords.

·       Run a public awareness campaign of the Charter, encouraging tenants to be aware of their rights and where local sources of advice and support can be found.

Resolved

(1)          That the Tenants Charter (Appendix 1), which sets out a new service standard that all tenants can expect to receive from the Council whilst they are living within properties the Council manages, be approved.

(2)          That the planned publicity and promotion to ensure a raising of the standards of rented properties within the District, following the motion at the Council meeting on 17 July 2023 that called on the Executive to reiterate the basic rights of tenants across Cherwell and the responsibilities of landlords and run a public awareness campaign of the Charter, encouraging tenants to be aware of their rights and where local sources of advice and support can be found, be approved.

The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Housing submitted a report to consider and approve the Council's new Tenants Charter for the tenants that live within its rented stock portfolio.

In introducing the report, the Portfolio for Housing thanked the Housing Team for their work, tenants who had responded to the consultation and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee who had considered the draft Strategy at their 1 August meeting.

Councillor Broad addressed Executive and advised that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had commended the Strategy and planned publicity and promotion. The Committee had highlighted the importance of ensuring the information and language in the Charter was accessible to all. The Committee had recommended the draft Tenants Charter for adoption by Executive, subject to their comments on consideration of the language used in the Charter, ensuring the final draft was accessible to all tenants, and additional clarity on how residents could raise issues with the Council as their landlord.

Resolved

(1)          That the Tenants Charter (Annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book), which sets out a new service standard that all tenants can expect to receive from the Council whilst they are living within properties the Council manages, be approved.

(2)          That the planned publicity and promotion to ensure a raising of the standards of rented properties within the District, following the motion at the Council meeting on 17 July 2023 that called on the Executive to reiterate the basic rights of tenants across Cherwell and the responsibilities of landlords and run a public awareness campaign of the Charter, encouraging tenants to be aware of their rights and where local sources of advice and support can be found, be approved.

Reasons

The Council is committed to improving the standards of accommodation and the experience of tenants within the District, and the new Tenants Charter and its commitments provide a framework for ensuring this is realised and also assists the Council in its leadership role in driving improvements in standards.

Alternative options

Option 1: Not to bring forward a Tenants Charter

This option would be contrary to a Motion from Council and a previous Executive decision.