Some 13 new housing enforcement officers have completed their apprenticeships as Greater Manchester takes action to improve housing standards.

Apprenticeships for new housing officers have been funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) using revenue from development loans, spreading the benefits of regeneration schemes and tackling the skills shortage in the sector.

As well as the 13 new enforcement officers, the GMCA has also funded a total of 27 officers, including the apprentices, to complete their diploma qualifications, and 162 officers to upskill with training.

New housing officers will join local council teams across the city-region, and come as Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, announces that the Good Landlord Charter will launch in May 2025.

The Good Landlord Charter, set to be up and running in May 2025 draws on the success of the city-region’s Good Employment Charter for businesses, and will set out a clear vision for better renting in the city-region, based on criteria including affordability, inclusivity, safety, and how responsive a landlord is to requests for repairs and maintenance. It has been developed by tenants groups, local authorities, housing providers and the National Residential Landlords Association and is now accepting expressions of interest from landlords to start the accreditation process.

The Good Landlord Charter sits alongside the mayor’s vision for a new Property Check system for renters to sound the alarm about poor housing conditions. The proposals would see residents in substandard rented homes able to request a check, carried out by local teams, and followed up by enforcement action where necessary, set to piloted in Salford before being rolled out across the city-region.

Proposals also sit alongside the government’s recently announced Renters’ Rights Bill, which would introduce new protections for tenants, and give councils new responsibilities for enforcement action. The Bill would also introduce Awaab’s Law, named for two-year-old Awaab Ishak, the Rochdale child who lost his life due to poor housing conditions, that would set legal deadlines for landlords to fix health hazards in their properties.

Burnham said: “For years now, local councils have been left reeling by a combination of growing pressures and squeezed resources. With this new generation of enforcement officers we are stepping up and strengthening local enforcement teams, so that we can do more to crack down on bad housing practices.

“Whether you own or rent, your home should not do you harm – it should set you up to thrive. That is why we’re taking action to drive up standards with our Good Landlord Charter, which will come into effect from May next year, and empower tenants with a right to a Property Check, followed up with enforcement action.

“It’s also why we’re pleased to see that the Government has committed to bring forward Awaab’s Law as part of new legislation, and we pay tribute to his family and everyone here who campaigned to make that happen.”

Propertymark supports Burnham’s programme to introduce thirteen new housing enforcement apprentices to tackle inadequate housing, as part of plans to boost local teams and empower renters. 

Tim Thomas, policy and campaigns officer at Propertymark, said: “We welcome the commitment from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in investing in apprenticeships for housing enforcement officers. At a time when local authorities’ resources are in scarce supply against demanding pressures, this investment will ensure that the Combined Authority can more effectively tackle rouge landlords and support many compliant landlords across the area.  

“Propertymark has long called for wide ranging investment in better local authority oversight, and this action will help end the postcode lottery in enforcement to raise standards overall.  We would encourage other combined authorities to take a similar approach, and for other local authorities to collaborate with neighbouring local councils to pool resources and share best practice with compliant landlords and agents.”