On the 1st December, three sections of the Housing Bill came into operation. They include: Most of part 1, all of chapter 1 (housing services) of part 2 and section 35 (anti-social behaviour strategy).

Higher Standards for Rented Accommodation 2009

Local authorities now have stronger enforcement powers to enable them to ensure that private rented accommodation complies with much tighter minimum standards regulations.

The provisions now being commenced give stronger sanctioning powers to housing authorities and
introduce a clearer and stronger definition of what constitutes a proper state of structural repair. This will help housing authorities to successfully prosecute landlords where they find substandard
accommodation.

The new legislation also specifies that the general responsibility for the external appearance of rental accommodation lies with the landlord and gives housing authorities enforceable grounds on which to deal with landlords.

Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy

All housing authorites will draw up and adopt an anti-social behaviour strategy within one year of this legislation coming into effect.

An anti-social behaviour strategy shall have as its principal objectives:

• prevention and reduction of anti-social behaviour
• co-ordination of services within the housing authority
• the co-ordination of services within the housing authority directed at dealing with, or preventing or reducing, antisocial behaviour the promotion of good estate management.

All housing authorities will put in place the following:

• procedures in relation to the making of complaints to the housing authority in respect of anti-social behaviour
• initiatives for the prevention and reduction of anti-social behaviour
• the provision of education relating to, and the carrying out of research into, anti-social behaviour and its prevention.

We will be keeping you updated when further sections of the Housing Act come into effect.