Newham council promises greater outreach to private tenants

Following a survey by Generation Rent which found that 70 per cent of private renters have never contacted the council about home or tenancy issues, despite 84 per cent encountering problems, the Mayor commits to building awareness of how the Council can help and support private tenants.

Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor of Newham, said:

“This important survey tells us a great deal about how renters are feeling in these uncertain times. I want to reassure every private renter in Newham that we are your Council – here to listen, support, and act for you.

“In response, I am directing the Council to step up our efforts to promote awareness and understanding of how we work hard to support all private tenants in Newham. Whether through our unique licensing scheme to standardise the quality of private rental homes, our partnerships with support groups like Safer Renting, or our ambitious inspection and enforcement regime, Newham Council remains committed to being on the side of tenants.

“I want to encourage any renter in Newham who has more to say to come forward for the next phase of research and to participate in our imminent consultation on private rented sector licensing – your voice will help us to improve our services.”

The survey found that 47 per cent of respondents felt that the Council would not help them if they reported a problem in their home, while 32 per cent felt concerned that they might face eviction by their landlord if they did contact the Council.

In response to the findings, Newham Council is conducting a dedicated programme of further research and engagement with private renters in the borough. All private renters are encouraged to sign up for the project, which will begin with dedicated focus groups in the week commencing 18 October 2021.

The first survey, conducted between 10 May and 9 June 2021, asked residents about the issues they face in their homes as well as their experiences with landlords and letting agents. Other key findings include:

• More than a third of respondents faced problems with housing quality including damp and mould (38 per cent), lack of maintenance of common areas (37 per cent) and neighbour noise or nuisance (35 per cent).
• Most renters were unsure about the necessary documentation relating to their tenancy – just 12 per cent recalled receiving all six necessary documents for their tenancy.
• Of those renters who did contact their landlord or letting agent to fix problems, 40% stated that they had not been fixed at the time of survey.

The Council will also be opening a public consultation into our property licensing scheme soon, where updates can be found on our website: www.newham.gov.uk/propertylicensingconsultation

To attend a focus group then please sign up for only one event and follow the link:  

1.Day In-person event 
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When: Tuesday 19 October
Where: Old Town Hall, Stratford (in Person)
Registration: 10am 
Session: 10.15 - 11.45 am

2. Evening In-person event
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When: Wednesday 20 October
Where: Old Town Hall, Stratford (in Person)
Registration: 5.30pm Registration
Session: 5.45 - 7.15pm

3. Evening Online Event 
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When: Thursday 21 October
Where: Online (Microsoft Teams Conference) 
Time: 6pm Registration
Session: 6.15 - 7.45pm