A survey commissioned by Oxford City Council has revealed that a fifth of the 30,500 private rented sectors constitute “a serious housing hazard”.
The private rented sector in Oxford represents close to fifty percent of homes in the city. Every Oxford ward has over 20 percent of housing in the private rented sector, a council press release reckoned. The council has launched a public consultation.
A staggering one in ten of tenants in all privately rented homes complained about conditions in the last five years,
That’s leading the council to introduce a selective licensing scheme aimed at all rented homes here. The council will also extend a licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) until 2026.
Close to 50 percent of HMOs don’t fully comply with the licensing scheme.
Alex Hollingworth, a councillor overseeing planning and housing, said: “Every private tenant deserves a decent home. We want to bring in licensing across the whole private rented sector to deliver on our plans to protect tenants, drive up standards and crack down on rogue landlords.”
You can take part in the consultation, here.