Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has called for councils to be given compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers to acquire private rented homes that fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard. Speaking at the Resolution Foundation’s Unsung Britain conference in London, Burnham argued that landlords should no longer be allowed to rent out substandard properties with the help of the benefits system.
Three-point plan targets private landlords
Burnham set out a three-point plan to address what he described as a national housing crisis. His proposals included building half a million council and social homes by the end of the decade, giving councils greater enforcement powers against poor conditions in the private rented sector, and accelerating a nationwide retrofit programme.
On the CPO proposal, Burnham told delegates: “We should give powers and funding to councils to compulsorily purchase homes in the private rented sector that are non-decent. You should no longer be allowed to rent out a home with the help of the benefits system when its condition harms the health of residents and drags down the surrounding community.”
The mayor acknowledged his proposal was radical but insisted it was necessary. He said: “Homes that were taken out of public ownership have been left in disrepair and exist to make money for absent landlords, while everyone else pays the consequences.” As Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham launched the Good Landlord Charter, which now covers 50 percent of rented homes in the city.
£26.5bn compliance bill looms for landlords
Burnham’s comments come as all private rented and social homes must meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2035. Under the new rules, landlords must ensure properties are in a reasonable state of repair and provide adequate facilities including properly laid-out kitchens, appropriately located bathrooms, and sufficient protection from external noise.
Government modelling suggests private landlords face a collective bill of £26.5 billion to bring their properties up to standard. The combination of compliance costs and the threat of compulsory acquisition will concern investors who have already seen margins squeezed by rising disrepair claims and regulatory changes under the Renters’ Rights Act.
Burnham’s third proposal focused on energy efficiency, arguing that a nationwide retrofit programme would give “millions of people better-quality homes with permanently lower energy bills, even possibly freeing them entirely from the worry of energy costs.”
Editor’s view
Burnham’s CPO proposal represents the most aggressive intervention yet proposed for the private rented sector. While framed as targeting “absent landlords” with substandard properties, the practical application of such powers could extend far beyond rogue operators. Landlords already facing a £26.5 billion bill to meet Decent Homes requirements may now question whether the sector remains viable as a long-term investment.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 12 February 2026
Sources: Resolution Foundation, Good Landlord Charter, Ministry of Housing
Related reading: Private landlords face £26.5bn bill to meet new Decent Homes Standard
