How many of us are there?
In 2015 the Office for National Statistics found 62,500 private renters in Southwark- that’s 25 percent of the total population. The current figure is probably higher, considering how much the housing crisis has deepened since then. So there should be plenty of private renters to campaign with. You could start with Let Down, a London wide campaigning group and Southwark Tenants
If renting is so bad, why don’t private renters just buy a house?
Because in Southwark, the average home costs a whopping 14.67 times the annual average salary.
Why can’t they get a council house then?
Because there are currently 7, 096 waiting for council housing in the borough. This was at over 13,000 just three years ago, but this doesn’t reflect any kind of surge in house building. In fact, the waiting list was cut dramatically as the current shortage of social housing means that there is no chance at all that so many people could be housed by the council.
Looks like we’re stuck in the private rented sector then. What’s it going to cost?
Monthly average rents for Southwark, recorded by the Valuation Office Agency, are below. Remember, these figures don’t include fuel or council tax bills:
Room in a shared house: £700
Studio flat: £1,024
One bedroom flat: £1,278
Two-bedroom flat: £1,560
Three-bedroom flat: £1,900
House with four or more bedrooms: £2,600
That’s a lot. I guess that means a lot of private renters have to claim housing benefit to stay alive then?
Yes – 4,204 private renters in Southwark claim housing benefit to cover their rent.
And does housing benefit cover it?
No. The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is the maximum amount of housing benefit you can get, regardless of whether you’re a private renter (renting from a private landlord) or a social renter (renting from the council or a housing association). The monthly LHA rate in Southwark is:
Room in a shared house: £412.32
One-bedroom flat: £884.35
Two-bedroom flat: £1,149.59
Three-bedroom flat: £1,433.08
House with four or more bedrooms: £1,807.09
Can I talk to someone at the council about problems with my private landlord?
For repairs and improvements, Southwark Council recommends you report it to your landlord or agent first, but does provide a Private Sector Housing Enforcement Team. These are environmental health professionals who can make sure your landlords does everything they need to so the property you inhabit is up to standard. You can find more about what they do here or contact them directly on 0207 525 3114.
Are there any Tenancy Relations Officers (TROs)?
Southwark Council provides a Tenancy Relations Service to give ‘specialist advice on the rights and responsibilities of private tenants, landlords and agents’. This includes a private tenants’ hotline which you can reach 24/7 on 020 7525 4113. They offer advice and support to tenants on a range of topics.
The Tenancy Relations Service is a high demand team who deal with numerous tenant queries and complaints each month and work alongside other teams in Southwark such as Environmental Health, Planning and Trading Standards. This should mean that a complaint from a tenant is assessed and tackled from all possible perspectives and legal frameworks and that such complaints inform service improvements across the Council.
Do private landlords in Southwark have to get a licence?
Beyond the standard HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensing which is in effect across England and Wales, Southwark also operates selective licensing in some small pockets in the borough for properties let to a single family, couple or individual (including studio flats). You can find these areas using the interactive map here
Does Southwark Council run a non-profit letting agency for private renters?
Southwark Council’s procurement and new initiatives service within Housing Solutions offers private sector accommodation for those homeless or threatened with homelessness and does so under a social lettings/not for profit model.
However like the services run by many other councils this is not accessible for most private tenants.
Does Southwark council run a PRS forum where can renters discuss ways to make private renting fairer?
There is one for Landlords, but no forum as such for tenants. However, as an early adopter of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017, Southwark council is going to be running tenant workshops to increase awareness of tenant rights and responsibilities, to ensure tenancy failure is minimised.
How many recent prosecutions has Southwark council made for criminal landlords?
Southwark has this month successfully prosecuted a landlord for illegal eviction as well as illegal subletting of Council accommodation. This is the first prosecution the Council has secured for illegal eviction in many years
Every council is divided between Councillors, who are elected politicians, and non-political officers, who are appointed to do a particular job. In Southwark, this person might be useful to talk to:
Cllr Stephanie Cryan – Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing
Bus. phone: 020 7525 0247
Email: Mobile: 07985116251
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