Diane Bialek – Director NGalloway Welcome
• We are landlords ourselves individually and as a company with over 30 years experience. • Manage and develop properties on behalf of landlords and ourselves. • Offer everything that any other letting agent on the high street would in terms of managing and letting your property including HMO’s. • Have an established portfolio of landlords on our books.
• Developing our business around Selective Licensing for 18 months. • Established policies, procedures and efficient methods of addressing antisocial behaviour and recovering rent arears. • Directors have a vested interest in community wellbeing and improving outcomes for all. • Extensive knowledge and experience in working with outside agencies and Local Authorities. • Commercial background, expertise and passion. • Facilitate support and guide; tenants, landlords and Local Authorities Result: Positive and consistent outcomes
Why do we need a Licensing Scheme in Nottingham? • Nottingham is the 8 th most deprived district in the country. • Nottingham scores poorly on 7 measures of deprivation, particularly: 1. Income 2. Health 3. Crime 4. Poor property conditions
Health & Wellbeing Tenants Local Authority • Rent • GPs • Social Care • Safety of the property • Dentists • Benefits • Property repairs and maintenance • Mental health • ASB Team • Disputes • Anti and post Natal care • Family Care • Complaints • Sexual health • Waste removal • ASB • “Legal proceedings” • “Legal proceedings” Voluntary Sector Emergency Services • Fire • The Safe project, etc. • Police • Hospices • Ambulance Nottingham • Charity shops • Gas • Forums • Electrical • Community groups • Water Education Landlords Letting agents • Nurseries • • Rent Rent collection • Childminders • • Safety of the property Tenant find • Schools • • Full management Property repairs and maintenance • After school care • • Disputes Maintenance • Colleges • • Complaints Reference • Universities • • ASB Inspections • • Deposits “Legal proceedings”
What are the issues we are finding Relating to Tenants? • Rent Arrears • Property Damage • Complaints from Neighbours • Tenants refusing the landlord access for inspections & repairs • Tenants receiving legal aid to defend non compliant Section 21 Notices • Total breakdown in communication and engagement with Landlord
What are the issues we are finding relating to Landlords? • Rent arrears & property damage • No policies or experience in dealing Anti-Social Behaviour. • Poor property conditions (out of date smoke detectors/mould etc.) • Out of date Gas Safe Certificates, deposits not protected etc. • No tenancy agreement or inadequate tenancy agreement • Providing tenancies without adequate reference checks. • Unclear and misuse of Section 21 Notices. • No or little evidence to support any Notice issued. • Landlords facing potentially large legal bills/prosecution.
Antisocial behaviour in Nottingham January 2013 and December 2015 In total, 21912 reports of ASB against residential properties in Nottingham
Housing conditions in Nottingham Nottingham city council received 7106 service requests regarding poor housing conditions between 2009 and 2015, 33% were attributed to private, residential properties. • Excess cold • Damp • Condensation • Fuel poverty • Disrepair Many hazards, go unreported.
At typical day in the office… or more accurately… 9.57pm
Case Study – Multi Agency Approach • Complaint received from the neighbour (out of hours, by text) • Initial investigation (with tenant and neighbours) • Findings: Landlord Tenant Neighbours £950 of rent arears. Feels ganged up on. Barking dog. Property damage. Living in disrepair. Shouting and swearing. Communication breakdown. Rent arears. Inconsiderate parking. Personal and family issues Excessive rubbish. Multi Agency Approach
Emily Bairstow Nottingham City Council ASB Investigator Selective Licensing Environmental Health and Safer Housing Community Protection
Agreed Action Plan
Agreed Action Plan
Agreed Action Plan
Case Study- Process • Complaint received from the neighbour (out of hours, by text) • Initial investigation (with tenant and neighbours) • Process: Landlord Tenant Neighbours Fully informed of every step. Consultation and investigation. Full investigation. Involving ASB officer and Regular updates. Housing Benefits. Investigation revealed Family court proceedings. Relationship breakdown. Child removed from care.
Case Study- Outcome • Complaint received from the neighbour (out of hours, by text) • Outcome: Landlord Tenant Neighbours Thrilled that £950 rent arears Action Plan agreed. Informed of outcome. will be paid. Aware of what’s required. Reported positive change. Property maintained. Do not want to make Thrilled and surprised that ASB Complaints stopped themselves intentionally stopped. Rent now paid regularly. homeless. Multi-Agency Support. Keeps in regular contact with Ngalloway.
One very happy neighbour
NGalloway Resources- Cost £’s Average Cost in resource time experienced by NGalloway to address anti-social behaviour using a multi-agency approach is approximately £600 per case.
Social Cohesion- Everybody’s Problem • Tenants: May have underlying issues and need support to be good tenants and deserve safe and well maintained properties. • Landlords: Better tenants, nil rent arrears, safe and maintained properties, should equal improved profits. • Local Authority: Need a mechanism to address issues resulting in anti- social behaviour which is costing all of us significant expense and not changing outcomes for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Selective Licensing could be our opportunity to improve outcomes for us all.
Thank you for your time. We’ll be here to answer any questions.
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