Hackney Council's Housing and Homelessness Scrutiny Commission has launched a review into the council's private landlord licensing system as part of its wider work programme for 2026/27. The commission, which met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, identified private sector landlord licensing as a key area for future scrutiny. This move comes as the council faces increasing demand for homelessness support and a shrinking private rented sector.
During the meeting, councillors were informed of a significant challenge: a 29% decrease in successful prevention and relief outcomes since 2025/26. A notable factor contributing to this decline is private landlords exiting the market. The Renters' Rights Act
is identified as a key disincentive, leading some landlords to no longer wish to rent out properties, particularly to low-income households. This has resulted in a massive spike in the number of Section 21 notices served
and has made it difficult for the council to access private rented accommodation for homeless families.
Councillor Abi Kingston, Deputy Cabinet Member for Homelessness Prevention and Temporary Accommodation, and council officers presented the programme's progress. The commission also agreed to the draft work programme for 2026/27, which includes the planned scrutiny of private sector landlord licensing. The review will examine the council's three property licensing schemes: the Mandatory HMO licensing scheme, the Additional HMO licensing scheme, and the Selective licensing scheme, focusing on how expected outcomes are being delivered, monitored, and evaluated.
Key points discussed included:
- Demand Management: Challenges include a decrease in successful prevention outcomes, partly due to private landlords exiting the market, exacerbated by the
Renters' Rights Act
. - Supply: A £145 million capital programme budget for 2026/27 is being invested to acquire properties within Hackney and neighbouring boroughs to increase the supply of cost-effective temporary accommodation. This programme is projected to deliver significant cost avoidance benefits, with an estimated £11.6 million in savings over the next three years compared to nightly paid accommodation. Specifically, £1 million in savings is anticipated from demand-side work and £1 million from supply-side work in 2026/27.
Beyond acquiring properties, Hackney Council is exploring several other strategies to bolster the supply of cost-effective temporary accommodation. These include securing long-term leases
, utilizing more flexible options like Private Sector Leases (PSL) and nightly paid accommodation
, expanding our hostel portfolio within the borough
, and making best use of the properties on our regeneration estates
. The council is also investigating long term lease deals of 10 years and a day
and exploring how the Hackney Housing Company
can increase income from central government.
The council is also reviewing its approach to working with landlords to increase successful preventions. This involves examining the council's offer to landlords
, which extends beyond financial incentives to include benefits such as support with tenancy sustainment and potential rental insurance, aiming to make households a more attractive prospect for landlords.
The £145 million capital programme is designed to facilitate various property deals for temporary accommodation, aiming to replace expensive options with more cost-effective solutions and deliver substantial savings. The specific targets for the prevention and relief outcomes that have seen a 29% decrease were not detailed in the provided information.
Further details on the commission's work programme can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack for the meeting. The minutes of the previous meeting are available here.
