Private Housing

If you are a tenant and you are worried about the condition of your home you should contact your landlord to give them an opportunity to put it right. If you find it difficult to speak to your landlord then you can put your request in writing.

If your landlord does not respond, you can then contact the Environmental Health Team who will visit to assess the situation. We may need to carry out a full inspection using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) which assesses the risks associated with any defect. This helps to determine which action we are able to take.

If the problem relates to damp and mould you will need to make sure that it is not the way you are using the property that is causing the problem. The National Health Service has produced some guidance on how to reduce damp and mould, as well as the health effects of living in a damp home.

There are many ways you can reduce the costs of your heating and funding is available to vulnerable households to help with reducing energy costs.

If you have a problem with your sewers, more information can be found here: Blocked Drains and Sewers

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)

A house in multiple occupation is a property rented out by at least 2 people who are not from the one ‘household’, eg a family, but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen. It’s sometimes called a ‘house share’. These types of properties have specific health and safety issues, and need better management than single occupied buildings. The property must be licensed if it is rented to 5 or more people who form more than 1 household. The legislation regarding the size of the HMO has been reviewed and now all premises from a bungalow to a multi storey buiding or Flat as of the 1st October 2018 will have to registered. If you live in a HMO, your landlord must meet certain standards and obligations. You can find out more about HMOs from the Council Webpage and also the amenity standard that your accomodation should meet.

Illegal Eviction

It is a serious criminal offence to evict a tenant without going through the right legal process. This usually means obtaining a court order before any physical eviction. The government has produced guidance related to evictions. Shelter have also produced advice for tenants on a range of topics related to private tenancies. If the Landlord acts to harass or intimidate, you can contact the Environmental Health team who will be able to assist you. If you you feel threatened you should contact the Police.

Fire Safety

Make sure you have smoke or heat detectors fitted in your property and check them regularly.

Gas Safety

Landlords are legally required to provide a gas safety record for their rented properties. This is enforced by the Health and safety Executive (HSE).

The person carrying out the checks should be gas safe registered and you can check if the contractor is approved by looking on the HSE website. Here you can also find more information about gas safety in private rented properties.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Regulations

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 requires landlords of all privately-rented properties to make sure they:

• Have a minimum of one smoke alarm installed on every storey of their rental property (ies) which is used as living accommodation.
• Have a minimum of one carbon monoxide alarm installed in any room where a solid fuel appliance is used

Enforcement

Landlords found to be in breach of their duties will receive a notice requiring works to be carried out within 28 days. Failure to carry out these works will result in a fixed penalty charge notice up to £5000, a fine and associated costs.

Contact us

Tenants who have any concerns about fire safety or risks from potential carbon monoxide poisoning are encouraged to contact us.

Information for Landlords

Landlords can find out more about letting properties and the East Midlands landlord accreditation scheme from DASH. If you have a property that you would like to rent or if you are a tenant looking for a property to rent; our homefinder service may be of use to you.