Propertymark says it requires clarification of what Prime Minister Andy Burnham means when he speaks of a new crackdown on private rental sector problems.

Burnham told the Labour Party conference that improving the private rental sector was part of his programme “taking back control with our communities”.

He told delegates: “We will give councils the power to take control of them and bring them back into the public housing stock. 

“You will see rented homes in a poor state of repair too, on so many British streets. Homes which harm the health of the people inside and drag down the streets around them. 

“The worst of it, often owned by absentee landlords who are paid through the benefit system but refuse to reinvest anything in the upkeep of the property.”

He says it is “time to call an end to this” and says negligent landlords will be given warnings to improve.

“If they refuse, we will make it much easier for councils to acquire those homes and we will legislate if necessary.”

And he concluded that part of his speech saying: “We don’t let people sell food which damages health, so why allow it with homes from now on? We won’t. This is what I mean about taking back control with our communities.”

In response, Timothy Douglas – head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark – comments: “Addressing poorly maintained properties should remain a key concern, with local authorities across England working closely with residents, landlords and property agents to understand why properties may fall below the required standard.

“Every case will have different circumstances, so any proposals must be proportionate and recognise the individual circumstances of the property and those living in it.

“Further clarity is needed on how the proposals would work in practice, including carrying out remedial work with a tenant in situ, the responsibilities of different parties, and how properties would be managed if they passed into local authority control or ownership.

“With the new ‘Register Your Rental Property Service’ being implemented for landlords from December, councils will have greater access to information to support targeted, intelligence-led enforcement. 

“The focus should be on making better use of existing tools rather than simply adding another layer of legislation and potentially damaging relationships between good landlords and government. Any new proposals should deliver a fair, proportionate and tailored approach that achieves sustainable, long-term outcomes.”