Introduction
1.1
Southend-on-Sea City Council ('The Council') are responsible for enforcing a wide range of statutory provisions relating to private sector housing and environmental conditions affecting health, wellbeing, and safety, these include:
- reducing the number of properties with serious risks to health and safety
- improving energy efficiency, warmth of homes and help reduce fuel poverty
- improving standards in private rented sector (PRS) accommodation
- improving the standards in HMOs (houses in multiple occupation)
- Improving the standards of rented properties within the designated selective licensing area
1.2
This policy is specific to the investigation of housing conditions and enforcement action taken by Regulatory Services; but is intended to be read in conjunction with the overarching Environment and Regulatory Enforcement Policy 2021 (ERP 2021). The policy cannot be absolutely prescriptive because the circumstances of each individual case and the evidence available must be taken into account. However, this policy should leave most readers in little doubt as to what they can expect by way of enforcement.
1.3
In determining this policy, stakeholders have been consulted and current government guidance and relevant codes of practices have also been considered. In particular the requirements of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (the '2006 Act'), the Enforcement Sanctions Act 2008 and the Regulators’ Code (2014) made under that Act have been taken into account. In doing so, this policy seeks to ensure that the application of any enforcement is founded around the principles of:
- raising awareness;
- proportionality and accountability;
- consistency in approach;
- transparency and
- targeted
1.4
The methodology and reasoning behind investigations, information requirements, Cautions, Prosecutions, Evidential Test, and the Public Interest Test are the same as stated within the ERP 2021.