Brighton and Hove has the largest percentage of private rented housing in the country.

There are above-average levels of poor conditions, with over half of bedsit houses lacking adequate means of escape in case of fire.

Tenants deserve to have safe, decent accommodation for the rent they are paying.

Last year, Brighton and Hove City Council dealt with 1,500 complaints from private tenants. Of these, two-thirds complained their rented rooms or bedsit were either damp or in disrepair.

In the last quarter of 2001, the council served 252 Housing Act notices to landlords, mainly related to lack of fire precautions, poor property management, disrepair and works required. During the same period, three landlords were prosecuted.

Despite this active enforcement, the city continues to have poor standards in the private rented sector.

The council wants to turn this situation around. On April 1, the onus will be on landlords to register and prove through documents that their properties are safe.

This will improve the quality of life for the thousands of residents who rent private accommodation.

-Tehmtan Framroze, Executive, Brighton and Hove City Council