Private Rented Housing

Department for Communities and Local Government written question – answered at on 27 January 2015.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Emma Reynolds Emma Reynolds Shadow Minister (Housing)

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the funding allocated to tackle beds in sheds has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date.

Photo of Emma Reynolds Emma Reynolds Shadow Minister (Housing)

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many times the beds in sheds taskforce has met since its inception; and on what dates.

Photo of Brandon Lewis Brandon Lewis Minister of State (Communities and Local Government)

Holding answer received on 19 January 2015

The Beds in Sheds Taskforce was a specific initiative in 2012 to 2013, to hold a set of summits to bring together councils and central government to ascertain best practice and barriers to be removed to help ensure co-ordinated action against illegal outbuildings.

Summits took place on 27 November 2012, 30 April 2013 and 1 July 2013. It was not an ongoing working group.

In July 2013, £2.6 million was subsequently allocated to nine local authorities to deal with the mainly London-based problem of beds in sheds, with a further £4.1 million of targeted funding to 23 local authorities in December 2013 to tackle rogue landlord behaviour (including beds in sheds).

Thanks to the lessons learnt and best practice adopted from these meetings in 2012 to 2013, we estimate there have been:

  • 2,500 streets surveyed
  • 30,000 inspections
  • 1,100 raids
  • 2,800 landlords facing prosecution
  • 530 buildings prohibited, and
  • 145 sheds demolished.

Following our 2012 publication, we will in due course be publishing refreshed guidance to local authorities on tackling beds in sheds and rogue landlords.

The Immigration Act 2014 contains a raft of measures which puts the law firmly on the side of those who respect it, not those who break it, by:

  • stopping migrants using public services to which they are not entitled;
  • reducing the pull factors which encourage people to come to the UK for the wrong reasons; and,
  • making it easier to remove people who should not be here.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes1 person thinks so

No1 person thinks not

Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.