Safety Inspection

We are here to ensure safe and healthy homes for all privately rented housing. We have a variety of powers and duties to ensure that required standards are met.

If you are a private tenant living in substandard housing conditions we will consider taking action against your landlord if they appear to be unwilling to meet their responsibilities.

What we can do to help

If you are in private sector accommodation (i.e. either as an owner-occupier or as a tenant) and you feel that the property you are living in is putting yourself or others at risk, you should contact the enforcement team.

Our officers may be able to help rectify the problem, or use powers available to them to ensure that those people who have the responsibility to resolve the problem do so.

Our service covers:

• inspecting unfit dwellings
• dwellings in substantial disrepair or that interferes with the material comfort of tenants
• overcrowded dwellings
• public health nuisances arising from filthy, verminous or unwholesome premises
• blocked and defective drainage
• investigating alleged statutory nuisances (arising from a variety of situations) - essentially any premises that are in such a state as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance
• providing advice and technical support on the council's housing repair and disabled facilities grant programme.

Freeholders or leaseholders

If you are freeholder or leaseholder you are responsible for any repairs that are required to your dwelling. However, we can give advice and in some situations take direct action if the health and safety of your living environment is threatened.