Case studies

Boston Borough Council has long worked closely with its neighbouring districts and the county council.

The private rented sector has grown considerably over the last two decades and following a stock modelling survey undertaken by the Building Research Establishment, accounts for approximately 29 per cent of the stock (over 58,000 properties).

The current housing and homelessness strategy (2019-2024) has as one its four core themes ‘improving the use of existing homes’.

DASH was set up in 2005 as a joint initiative by local authorities, property owners, landlords and tenants in the East Midlands.

The overall focus of the council’s policy is to improve the health and well-being of tenants in the private rented stock, as well as tackling the issues of poverty and deprivation faced by communities.

Work by housing and police officers in visiting targeted properties, talking with the occupants and assessing the conditions uncovered a range of criminal activity and poor conditions, including exploitation, fraud, sham marriages and human trafficking.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority is committed to drive up standards in the private rented sector and make a positive difference to the lives of tenants and landlords.

The council plan, which is at the consultation stage, includes commitments to take effective action to tackle poor housing conditions and anti-social behaviour in the private sector as well as a focus on adopting a multi-agency approach in, for instance, the Oxford Street neighbourhood. 

Hull has a large private rented sector with concentrations of up to 80 per cent of the stock on some streets being in that tenure.

The private rented sector is the major tenure in the borough with over 40 per cent of households (53,000 households). It has more than doubled since 2003.