Benefits landlord Mick Roberts has accused Nottingham Council of hypocrisy after it was revealed the authority hasn’t fully checked its housing stock for eight years, while private landlords must inspect their properties every six months.

The council now directly manages social housing after winding up its management organisation, Nottingham City Homes, and has vowed to inspect the city’s 26,000 social homes. A new report reveals that considerable work is needed for them to meet new regulatory standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing.

Consultant strategic director of housing, Geoff Wharton, told a housing and city development scrutiny committee meeting: “There are going to be boots on the ground in the next few months and they are going to do a 100% stock condition survey in the next year,” The Nottingham Post reports.

Inpections

Meanwhile, the council’s selective licensing scheme regulations state that licence holders must ensure property inspections are carried out at least every six months to identify any problems relating to their condition and management.

Landlords have previously accused the authority of pocketing high licence fees which forces them to either increase rental prices to avoid being out of pocket, or to sell their properties, leading to fewer rental properties in the city centre.

Roberts is disgusted at the disparity, he tells LandlordZONE. “We’ll be penalised if we don’t do these checks, yet the council doesn’t do what they’re supposed to do,” he adds. “I worked out if I did these inspections, I would be busy for an entire two weeks every year.

“My tenants don’t want me coming round all the time. One 68-year-old lady has lived in her house for 21 years – I never agreed this with them when they moved in years ago. The council have not thought about what tenants want.”

LandlordZONE has approached the council for comment.