Housing Strategy and Renewal Team

What Do We Do?

Deal with all aspects of private sector housing with an aim to improving conditions and living standards for both tenants and owner occupiers and making Darlington a more attractive place to live.

Our Role

Nobody wants to live in, or near to, run down and unsightly properties.  Working with owner/occupiers, landlords and tenants of private housing we aim to improve the standard of housing conditions throughout the Darlington Borough.  This can only be achieved by talking to and listening to landlords and their tenants.  By working together we can make a difference.

Who are we:

Housing Renewal

We are based at:

5 Skinnergate, Darlington DL3 7NB

(Customers please go to Town Hall for appointment or call number below)

Telephone: 01325 734100  Fax: 01325 734109

Email Housingrenewal@darlington.gov.uk

For Landlord Accreditation enquiries

Email las@darlington.gov.uk

How Do We Do It?

We do it through:

  • Attracting funding
  • Working with householders and private landlords
  • The Landlord Accreditation Scheme
  • Landlord Forum
  • Enforcement action
  • Working with other partners
  • Property registration/licensing
  • Training and consultation

Our Functions

The Housing Renewal Team will:

  • Deal with statutory nuisance due to poor housing conditions.
  • Carry out HHSRS Inspections in response to complaints from occupiers.
  • Identify, inspect and improve the standards of houses in multiple occupation (HMO's) within the Borough and manage the Borough's HMO Registration Scheme.
  • Reduce the number of empty properties within the Borough.
  • Deal with statutory nuisance and Public Health issues in relation to domestic drainage.
  • Carry out Immigration inspections for people moving to the area from outside the European Union.
  • Co-ordinate and manage the Borough's Landlord Accreditation Scheme.
  • Approve Grants and arrange Financial Assistance within the Private Sector.  

Where Do we Do It?

  • Empty properties
  • Private Properties
  • Multiple Occupation Schemes
  • College accommodation
  • Houses in Multiple Occupation

When Do we Do It?

  • When Darlington residents complain about their properties or landlords
  • When Darlington residents complain about rubbish
  • When Darlington residents complain about drainage problems in properties

The Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy - pdf document

The principal legislation we use are:

  • Housing Act 1985 (mostly repealed during 2006)
  • Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • The Building Act 1984
  • Local Government (Local Provisions) Act 1976
  • Local Government (Local Provisions) Act 1982
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • 2004 Housing Act (to be introduced on 1st April 2006)