Landlords urged to join Healthy Homes scheme

A pilot project to improve private rentals has urged landlords to join the scheme, calling their role in the community "pivotal".

Westmorland and Furness Council is hosting an event for landlords next month to find out more about their Healthy Homes project, focusing on homes with a greater risk of "excess cold problems".

Councillor Judith Derbyshire, cabinet member for housing, called it "a real opportunity for us to engage with our stakeholders, provide them with support and advice, and help improve how we deliver our private sector housing function".

The pilot study is backed by £1.2m of government funding to improve private rentals in six wards of the former Eden District Council area.

If the project is successful, the council said, it would be extended to other areas across Westmorland and Furness.

The event, on 7 October at Penrith Rugby Club, will be attended by organisations such as Citizen's Advice, Cumbria Action for Sustainability and Cumbria Police.

Landlords will also be able to find out about grants to improve homes without a gas boiler and other initiatives.

Derbyshire stressed the council was keen to collaborate with private landlords.

"We know that they play a fundamental role in the local housing sector, not just as property providers, but as pivotal contributors to our communities," she said.

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