What makes a good landlord? This is now a critical question for many people in Frome.
Council houses have been phased out, and Housing Association places (the ‘social rented sector’) are in short supply – there are often hundreds of people on the waiting list. And for many people, finding the money to buy their own place is completely out of reach. All this means that the ‘private rented sector’ – the traditional landlord/tenant arrangement – has an increasingly important role to play in the town.
After more than a year of meetings and discussions, a group of local landlords has set up the Frome Landlords Association, under the umbrella of Fair Housing for Frome. On Monday 21st January at 7pm they are hosting their inaugural event at Frome Town Hall, looking at topics such as: Is being a good landlord just about rent levels, or is there more to it than that? What can be done to improve relations between tenants, landlords and letting agents? Do Frome landlords have a role to play in helping to tackle the housing crisis in the town? The guest speaker will be Sarah Fishpool from The Ethical Landlords Association, a national body set up in May 2016 by a group of landlords who are committed to promoting respect, honesty and equality in the private rented sector.
This isn’t just an event for landlords and prospective landlords, but also for tenants and for anyone who cares about the housing crisis in Frome. Entry and refreshments are free of charge, thanks to a grant from the TDS Charitable Trust. A regular programme of events for landlords is being planned for 2019, including training sessions on topics such as how to manage disputes and arrears. If this interests you, join the FHfF mailing list at www.fairhousingforfrome.org.uk
Objectives of the Frome Landlords Association:
1.To promote better understanding and a more positive image of the role of private landlords among the general public and in the media.
2.To encourage landlords to adopt best practice, to stay up to date on compliance, and to act in harmony with the values of the association, through the provision of training, information and mutual support.
3.To provide a forum for information sharing, collaboration and cooperation amongst landlords, particularly landlords who manage their own properties.
4.To support prospective landlords who wish to acquire and manage property to do this in a responsible manner.
5. To work with the (future) Frome Tenants Association to foster a positive relationship between tenants and landlords and to jointly develop a more fair and accessible private rented sector in the town.
6. To take a constructive role in dialogue, activities and events relating to the shortage of housing for local people in Frome.
Alison Murdoch, FHfF Development Worker
Above: Frome Landlords Association steering group (L-R) Marcus Squires, Ed Spittles, John Careswell, Vicki Burke and Alison Murdoch.
