Doreen Illingworth, campaigner in Weetwood
Rented housing in Weetwood
In the Meanwood and West Park area there are rented houses, large old houses divided up into flats and bedsits, and HMO’s (homes with multiple occupancy). Increasingly, there are new purpose-built and designed blocks of flats. The conscientious landlords – an increasing number, recognise their responsibilities towards general safety as well as electrical, gas and fire safety.
By and large condition of rented properties in the Meanwood area, from my observations of the outside is quite good – with some exceptions. Yes, I’ve seen the over flowing “overflow” pipes and the resulting hazardous ice patches in winter!
Unfortunately enquiries show that sometimes the worst looking properties can be owner occupied, where sadly, there is insufficient money to keep the property in good order, or the property has just been abandoned because of financial or other problems. Those houses take a long, long time to sort out and bring back into occupation.
Energy efficiency
Owner occupiers invest in capital costly insulation and double glazing to save steeply rising energy costs. They know that they will recoup the investment either while they are in the property, or when they sell.
Tenants mostly don’t stay long enough in a property to recoup any investment costs.
Landlords don’t pay utility bills, so there are many privately rented properties with ill-fitting doors and windows, few have double glazing. Labour Government funding, until the Lib Dem Tory government imposed the swinging cuts, enabled many Council properties, over the last few years, to be fitted new energy-efficient doors and double glazed windows.
Leeds city council has an on-going partnership insulation scheme whereby owner occupiers and private tenants can apply for grants to upgrade the insulation on their homes. This is called the wrap up Leeds scheme.
If elected I would campaign for energy efficiency rating schemes for rented properties. With the current oversupply of rented properties it would be in a landlord’s interest to upgrade their properties to attract tenants.
Keeping outside of rented properties neat and tidy
I would also campaign hard for the control regulations that run in large areas of Headingley to be extended. The regulation requires landlords to keep the outside of their properties looking good – for example the gardens and the hedges.
Many people, get very upset about the “To Let” boards. The landlords and agencies are very prompt when putting them up, but residents’ associations complain that taking them down from let properties is a very different time scale
The extension of the control area would see the end of the all the year round “To Let”” boards.
