High standards: Developing a property improvement model for the private rented sector in Greater Manchester

Article

The private rented sector (PRS) in Greater Manchester has grown significantly in recent decades.

Despite this growth, there remain persistent issues with housing quality in the sector: approximately 25 per cent of all PRS homes in Greater Manchester are classed as ‘non-decent’. At the same time, around 15 per cent of all households across tenures in Greater Manchester live in fuel poverty – some of the highest rates in England.

The need to improve housing quality in the PRS is clear; too many tenants live in poor-quality, unsafe accommodation that impacts their health. A decline in the number of available social homes, a lack of central government investment to build more social homes, and the unsuitability of social rented housing for many tenants, mean that an improved PRS is vital for a functioning housing system in Greater Manchester.

In this report, we have sought to develop a financial model for improving private property in Greater Manchester.

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