Property

Andy Burnham launches £300k scheme to stop ‘unlawful’ illegal evictions in Manchester

"The days of bad landlords renting out unsafe and unfit homes are coming to an end."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 20th May 2024

Andy Burnham has launched a £300,000 pilot scheme aimed at tackling “unlawful” illegal evictions in Manchester.

It’s just one part of Greater Manchester‘s first step towards protecting tenants in all types of rented accommodation, and empowering those who feel “trapped in substandard housing“.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) says it plans to “rewire the rental system” in our region, so that it “works for people, not against them”, and to support this, the Mayor announced last week that a £600,000 package of measures has now been set out to help tenants clamp down on rogue landlords.

After Mr Burnham declared back in January that 2024 would be the year Greater Manchester “gets serious about housing”, the ‘Good Landlord Charter’ is set to be rolled out later this year.

The Good Landlord Charter is the first of its kind in the UK, will cover social and private rented sector housing, and will work with landlords who are willing to improve the standard of the properties they rent out.

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It’s aiming to set out “clear, practical, and accessible” standards to drive up the quality of renting in Greater Manchester. 

According to GMCA, recent data has shown that,’ throughout Greater Manchester, around 23% (56,000) of private rented homes, and just under 17% (82,000) of all rented homes, do not meet the legal Decent Homes Standard’.

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But since many tenants feel unable to raise complaints for fear of eviction, it’s thought the true number of substandard rentals may be as high as 40%.

This is why the Mayor has announced two more new pilot projects that will come into effect over the next 12 months.

To support the Good Landlord Charter, £300,000 will be invested in the Renters (Reform) Bill and introduce a new duty on local authorities that’ll help them tackle unlawful evictions and harassment of tenants by setting up a new team of housing law experts who’ll “provide advocacy and support” to renters, and “strengthen enforcement capacity”.  

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Andy Burnham launches £300k scheme to stop ‘unlawful’ illegal evictions in Manchester / Credit: Rockpanel | GMCA

When the Renters (Reform) Bill is made law, it’ll become illegal for landlords to rent out homes that don’t meet the ‘Decent Homes Standard’, and because of this, £150,000 is also being made available to support a new pilot with Oldham Council that’ll explore how GMCA, the central Government, and local Councils can work together to claim back housing benefit from landlords who are letting out substandard homes.

“Everyone across our city-region deserves a good, safe, and secure home,” declared Mayor Andy Burnham as he launched the pilot schemes last week.

“It should be the starting point for a good life. It should not damage your health or be a source of concern and anxiety, but sadly, too many people in Greater Manchester still find themselves in those situations, and are trapped in poorly maintained properties and in fear of unlawful eviction.

“But the days of bad landlords renting out unsafe and unfit homes are coming to an end.

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“This new right to a property check for all residents, backed up with new measures to protect renters and take action against rogue landlords, will empower people across Greater Manchester and put us on course to become the UK’s only Housing First city-region.”

Featured Image – Super Straho (via Unsplash)

Property

The stunning £1.6m home with its own lake on the market in an unassuming Greater Manchester town

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A family home overlooking its own lake is currently on the market in Greater Manchester, and we can probably all agree it’s a real stunner.

The only thing is, you’ll just need the small matter of £1.6 million before you can call it yours.

It goes without saying that the vast majority of people reading this article won’t have £1.6 million just sitting in their bank account right now, and that properties of this stature are likely not the kind we’ll get to call home, so the next best thing we can do is just snoop around on good old Rightmove and have a nosey at all the jaw-dropping pictures instead.

Like us, if you’ve got no shame in admitting that one of your favourite internet pastimes is looking up houses you can’t afford in places you’ll probably never live, then let us introduce you to this gem over in Bolton.

We’re talking a beautifully-modern lake house that estate agents have called “truly unique” and “striking”, kind of a ‘gem’.

This is The Lake House.

The Lake House is currently on the market in an unassuming Greater Manchester town / Credit: Newton & Co

Described as being one of the Greater Manchester town’s “best kept secrets”, this four-bedroom detached residence is located in the suburb of Lostock – which is known for being one of the borough’s most affluent and sought-after neighbourhoods that’s conveniently close to a wide range of amenities, excellent local schools, and transport links across the region and beyond – and it has so much to offer prospective buyers.

Hidden in plain sight, but overlooking a Victorian formal pond of lake-size proportions, the property sits behind private gates amid its own expansive grounds at the end of what, you’d have to say, is a pretty run-of-the-mill residential street.

But this is far from being a run-of-the-mill house.

The four-bedroom detached family home is “truly unique” and packed with impressive features throughout / Credit: Newton & Co

The Lake House was actually built in 2010 in the garden of a traditional 1870s home, and back in the day, it was formerly owned by a local inventor who built a model railway in the gardens for local children to ride on.

Estate agents say the property is so “unique”, in fact, that the current owners have even been approached by filmmakers in their time, who were eager to capture the location on the big screen.

As well as boasting several light and spacious reception rooms, a bespoke kitchen kitted-out with a range of modern fixtures, appliances, and a stunning AGA, four large bedrooms, and both family bathrooms and en-suites, the property also has countless other impressive hand-crafted features to its name behind the grand front doors.

Just a couple of these features include timber spiral staircases, some snazzy modern lighting fixtures throughout, a truly jaw-dropping coved glass ceiling feature, and a master bedroom with its own luxury dressing room.

It’ll set you back a whopping £1.6 million to call it yours / Credit: Newton & Co

The star of the show, though, has to be the elevated terrace that wraps around three sides of the property, making it the perfect place to relax all year round.

And, of course, the outside of the property is just as impressive as the inside… in fact, you could argue even more impressive, as the formal surrounding gardens not only include the lake and all its little quirks, like a range of different bridges, boating houses, and a clocktower, but they’ve also been maintained to the highest of standards, making them a massive credit to the current owners.

The property also comes with a large double garage in its grounds – which houses its own workshop, a large office, and a bathroom – and there’s also the potential to create a separate annexe too.

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The Lake House is currently on the market with Bolton-based independent estate agents, Newton & Co, for a whopping £1.6 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the property company to arrange a viewing.

Or you could just take the cheaper route instead and have a nosey at the Rightmove link here.

Featured Image – Newton & Co

Property

Plans approved to transform historic Grade II-listed Manchester building into £6m ‘innovation hub’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Plans to turn a Grade II-listed building in Manchester city centre into a £6 million “innovation hub” have been given the green light.

Manchester City Council has approved “transformational plans” for the historic 117-119 Portland Street building in the heart of the city centre, and the ambitious £6 million project will now see the Grade II-listed building become the so-called “gateway” into Manchester’s innovation district, the Oxford Road Corridor.

Part of Bruntwood SciTech’s collection of refurbished Victorian warehouses, this new workspace is expected to be a “central hub” for collaboration, wellness, and events.

Developers want to make it a “vibrant social community” for all the businesses within the building.

The 35,000 sq ft building will be refurbished into a multi-let workspace that provides a mixture of offices for up to 80 people – with each offering a range of flexible options for companies working in the creative, tech, and media sectors.

Nine fully-fitted workspaces will be created in total, each being equipped with kitchens, meeting rooms, and breakout areas.

The innovation hub will retain many of its original features that pay homage to its rich history.

Dating all the way back to 1886, the building was formerly home to Schill Seebohm & Co shipping merchants, which used it as a warehouse to showcase, sell, and ship its Manchester-made textiles, and now it’s set to become another inspiring space for businesses to grow and thrive.

Plans have been approved to transform a historic Manchester building into £6m ‘innovation hub’ / Credit: Bruntwood SciTech

State-of-the-art shared facilities and amenities will also be incorporated into the new-look building as part of a “reimagining” of the ground and lower ground floors areas – including breakout spaces and lounge areas, an on-site gym, boutique gym-quality shower and changing facilities, and an auditorium for events.

Developers will also be improving the historic building’s sustainability credentials in a bid to bring it into the “modern age”.

Richard Roper, who is the Associate Director and Asset Management for Bruntwood SciTech, said the approval of these plans marks the next “exciting phase” in the partnership’s vision to “enhance and improve” workspaces across Manchester city centre.

Developers want to make the Grade II-listed building a “vibrant social community” for all / Credit: Bruntwood SciTech

“Our cluster of buildings on Portland Street are uniquely positioned to become the connecting junction between the Oxford Road Corridor and our city centre innovation hubs, further supporting businesses to access a city-wide innovation ecosystem,” he added.

“This cornerstone of the city has been lacking investment into creating workspaces that galvanise collaboration, creativity, and ingenuity, and offer like-minded communities to connect with.

“We hope to deliver that at 117 Portland Street.”

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Work to transform 117-119 Portland Street is anticipated to get underway from spring 2025.

Featured Image – Bruntwood SciTech

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