Private rented sector housing enforcement policy

4.1

We have online forms that you can use to report:

• a general housing complaint
• an issue with your home

You can also contact Southend City Council, by telephone on 01702 215000, by email to privatesectorhousing@southend.gov.uk or by letter to the following address:

When reporting an issue, it is useful for the Council to have as much information as possible, such as:

• description and photographs of the disrepair issue and affected room
• how long the item of disrepair has been present
• when the responsible party (i.e. landlord or management agent) for the property was notified of the problem, and copies of the correspondence
• following notification, the response (if any) from the responsible party
• address of property concerned
• name/address/telephone number of owner/landlord/managing agent
• name/address/telephone number of complainants
• if rented when they started tenancy and type of tenancy agreement held

Unless there is an imminent risk or danger, anonymous complaints will not be investigated; on receipt of the above the Council will contact the person responsible, allowing them 14 days to make representations and providing them an opportunity to carry out the works.

4.2

There may be occasions where an investigating officer cannot substantiate the complaint. When this arises, the person who has raised the issue will be informed that Council will not take any further action.

There are other circumstances that may result in the cessation of an investigation, or the withdrawal of service, these include (but are not limited to):

• the complaint has been withdrawn and does not warrant further investigation
• the tenant(s) are, shortly to move out of the property by their own choice
• the complaint relates to minor disrepair only
• the landlord of the property has initiated eviction proceedings where there has been a breach of tenancy agreement
• the tenant(s) unreasonably refuse access to the landlord, managing agent or landlord's builder, for works to be carried out
• the tenant(s) have, in the opinion of the Council, clearly caused the damage to the property they are complaining about, and there are no other items of disrepair
• a tenant does not want their present accommodation to be brought up to standard, and the only reason for contacting the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Team is to secure rehousing
• the tenant(s) has failed to follow the appropriate process
• the tenant(s) have failed to keep an appointment and not responded to a follow up letter or appointment card
• the tenant(s) unreasonably refuses to provide the Council with relevant documentation, e.g. a tenancy agreement or notice seeking possession
• the Complainant has continually submitted additional complaints related in whole or in part to an initial complaint already submitted and under investigation or which has been fully investigated and the Council's duty discharged
• the tenant(s) have been aggressive, threatening, verbally or physically abusive or shown racist behaviour towards officers, or has made spurious and/or unsubstantiated allegations
• make repetitive complaints and allegations which disregards the responses the Council has supplied in previous correspondence to the complainant or their representative(s)