Barnet Council has unveiled new housing strategies in response to a decreasing private rented sector in the London borough. The recently introduced Housing, Homelessness, and Rough Sleeping Strategy aims to boost the supply of affordable housing for rent and homeownership.

The council’s primary goals include constructing 1,000 new council homes priced at 50% of market rental rates and enhancing the council’s housing stock to achieve Net Zero by 2030. Additionally, the strategy seeks to improve the quality of private rental sector properties and advocate for the rights of private tenants.

The strategy report points to affordability challenges and increasing demands on private landlords as key factors contributing to the private rented sector’s contraction. Barnet Council acknowledges its historical reliance on the private rented sector to reduce the number of residents in temporary accommodation.

The council’s strategy for preventing homelessness highlights previous efforts to help people remain in their homes through financial interventions such as Discretionary Housing Payments. However, it recognizes the growing challenges in sustaining existing tenancies due to affordability constraints and the rising number of private landlords leaving the market.

Labour councillor Ross Houston, Housing and Growth Committee Chair, encourages residents to participate in consultations on the proposed housing-related strategies and policies, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in shaping the future of the borough.