"Q Do you think a part of that is about effective media communication from local councils when landlords are fined? For example, on illegal tobacco, I have noticed from the number of cases that since trading standards gave publicity to the fines of people who had been selling illegal …..." Richard Graham - View Speech
"Q Rhea, you mentioned earlier that you were worried about the business of multiple deposits for people moving tenancies. Does the concept of passporting the deposit from one landlord to another deal with the issue?
"Q Dan Wilson Craw, is there anything you would like to add on either of those questions?
Dan Wilson Craw: On the question of communication, council websites are really important. Tenants are supposed to get their heads around the guide, but it is a national document and they need …..." Richard Graham - View Speech
"Q Do you agree that the environmental health officers are the right people in the council housing team? If you have a housing team that also has responsibility for following up on this, that is a more logical link.
"Q Do you agree that that tends to be where the expertise is? People in council housing teams often have a strong feel for who is a good landlord and who is likely not to be, and of course a better awareness of the tenants.
"Q Within the Bill there are different options for who will have responsibility for enforcement. It could easily be at the first-tier level—the county council—but on the whole they do not have any direct experience of dealing with housing issues, whereas the housing teams in the second-tier councils do. …..." Richard Graham - View Speech
"Q It does. My question was whether you support that and think it is a good idea. Is that a yes?
Dan Wilson Craw: Yes, it is.
Rhea Newman: In their responsibilities for enforcing across the private rented sector, it is really important that trading standards and environmental health …..." Richard Graham - View Speech
"I draw attention to my declaration in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. My wife and I have recently become landlords of a property...." Richard Graham - View Speech
"Q May I explore some of the comments that you all made? David Cox, you said effectively two things. First, you said that you do not support the Bill, and then you criticised it for the lack of an adequate enforcement mechanism. The two are totally different things, aren’t …..." Richard Graham - View Speech
David Cox: In terms of why we made comments about enforcement, we have to take a practical consideration, and the likelihood is that the Bill will go through and become law. Therefore, we want to ensure that what comes out the other end from this Committee and …..." Richard Graham - View Speech