Council urges landlords to join Healthy Homes Scheme

Westmorland and Furness Council are set to host a free event for landlords in October designed to encourage them to join the new pilot project.

The Healthy Homes scheme was created by the local authority and funded by the government to help improve privately rented homes. Councillors have claimed experts will work with landlords, tenants and property managers to spot issues in before disrepair gets so bad it requires enforcement.

Against this backdrop, the council are now set to host their first ever event for landlords next month so they can find out more about the project. It is understood the local authority will be focusing on properties with a greater risk of ‘excess cold problems’ as we’re heading into winter months.

Arguably, there couldn’t be a better time for such a scheme as the number of damp and mould problems in properties in England skyrocket during this time of year. Especially since the tragic death of Awaab Ishak in December 2020.https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/over-16000-raised-to-tackle-childrens-bed-poverty/

At the event, which is taking place on 7^th October at Penrith Conference Centre, guest speakers including the National Residential Landlords Association, Cumbria Police and the Department of Work and Pensions, will be talking to landlords in the area.

Likewise, landlords will also be able to discover more about grants to improve homes without a gas boiler and other initiatives.  

Councillor Judith Derbyshire said the talk will be ‘a real opportunity for us to engage with our stakeholders, provide them with support and advice, and help improve how we deliver our private sector housing function.’

The Healthy Homes study is currently looking to upscale rentals in six wards of the former Eden District Council area.

These include:

• Crosby Ravensworth
• Hartside
• Skelton
• Orton with Tebay
• Ravenstonedale
• Ullswater

Cllr Derbyshire continued that the local authority is keen to work with private landlords as ‘they play a fundamental role in the local housing sector, not just as property providers, but as pivotal contributors to our communities.’

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