Government readies to name and shame rogue landlords on social media
The government is preparing to name and shame landlords on social media for breaching housing regulations.
Under draft legislation published on Tuesday, social housing landlords who do not offer adequate homes will be made examples of on the gov.uk website and its social media channels.
Dodgy landlords will be identified if they fail to meet the regulator’s consumer standards or where the housing ombudsman has made a finding of severe maladministration against them.
A resident panel is to be created so some 250 social housing tenants can engage in a direct dialogue with the government, the department for levelling up, housing and communities said.
Participants will be invited to give feedback on measures to strengthen the decent homes standard, a new access to information scheme and other reforms.
“We have published draft legislation today to toughen up regulation of social housing landlords,” minister for social housing Eddies Hughes said.
“This includes naming and shaming those landlords who fail to meet acceptable living standards and giving tenants a direct channel to raise their concerns with government.”
Matt Cowen, an associate in the social housing team at housing lawyers Winckworth Sherwood said the legislation “represents a significant change to the relationship between the social housing provider and its tenants.”
He added: “Whilst we have only just seen the draft legislation, its contents are not surprising. social housing providers have had considerable notice of most of these changes, so the regulator for social housing is unlikely to be flexible with further time extensions to achieve compliance once the legislation is enacted. Social housing providers must act now.”