Housing Strategy

Private sector housing

Our Private Sector Housing team work to improve housing conditions of private sector homes through grant assistance, enforcement action, education and advice. There are approximately 42,849 private sector homes in Dartford, making up 87.1% of homes in the borough, as of 2023.

The homes covered include those which are owner occupied, privately rented and owned by housing associations. The team can also assist those living in single households and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). There are 69 HMOs on the Public Register of HMOs as of February 2025.

The team have a number of mandatory functions which are set by legislation. Following the Grenfell tragedy and introduction of new fire safety legislation, the team are looking at high rise blocks of flats above 11m+ and 18m+. New government guidance around damp and mould sets out how we should approach damp and mould complaints, and to have particular regard to high scoring Category 2 hazards in relation to damp and mould cases as well as Category 1. Any new legislative requirements which are introduced through legislation or secondary legislation such as the Renters’ Rights Bill and the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 will be implemented by the team when it comes into effect.

In 2020, the Council commissioned consultants to carry out a Housing Stock Modelling Report to better understand the condition of private rented homes in the area. Full survey information was achieved for the whole of the housing stock. The key findings of the report were:

  • 2,908 homes in the private sector have Category 1 Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazards. This equated to 7% of private sector homes.
  • 719 homes in the private rented sector have Category 1 HHSRS hazards, which equated to 7% of homes in the private rented sector. In comparison, only 25 (0.006%) of council owned homes have a Category 1 HHSRS hazard.
  • 1,092 of all homes is in disrepair, with 3% of this overall figure being in the private rented sector.

Private Sector Renewal

Housing conditions have a major impact upon the health and wellbeing of individuals, households and communities. Cold and damp, housing design and layout and hazardous internal structures or fittings are just some of the factors which may be detrimental to a resident’s health. Other issues such as housing unaffordability and tenure insecurity in addition to poor housing quality can also contribute negatively to the physical and mental wellbeing of residents living in the private sector.

Our Private Sector Renewal Strategy 2022-2025 aims to address the need for housing renewal and explains how we intend to meet this need. It builds upon the work already carried out in the implementation of the previous renewal strategy, which was developed in 2009.  The Strategy will be reviewed and updated in 2025.

The two key priorities for this Strategy are:

  • To enable residents to live independently in safe and healthy homes
  • To decrease the numbers of households who are in fuel poverty and/or suffering from ‘excess cold’ and improve the overall energy efficiency of private sector homes in Dartford

Actions used to meet these objectives include:

  • Elimination of Category 1 HHSRS hazards and reduction of disrepair
  • Promotion of safe independent living for residents should they choose
  • Offering loans and grants to assist with private sector renewal
  • Taking enforcement action against landlords in the private rented sector to improve conditions
  • Improving partnership working with private sector landlords

Empty Homes

Empty homes have an adverse effect on the community, posing health and safety issues and potentially attracting anti-social behaviour. At a time where there is a housing shortage, empty homes represent a wasted resource.

There were a total of 932 vacant homes in the borough as of 2023. This figure includes all tenures, although the majority of empty homes are privately owned. Of the vacant homes, 267 are long-term vacant (empty for 6 months or more). There were also 245 properties classed as second homes.

The Private Sector Housing Team work to return empty homes and derelict land back into productive use. In 2023-24, 35 empty homes were brought back into use by the Council. We use a number of methods to help bring empty homes back into use, as set out in the Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy 2022-2025. This includes:

  • Ensuring the availability and effective use of information on empty homes
  • Developing effective partnership working within the Council and with external partners
  • Raising awareness of empty properties in Dartford
  • Encouraging reuse through the supply of information, advice, and support to empty property owners
  • Taking enforcement action where appropriate using the tools provided by relevant legislation, such as securing open empty properties against unauthorised access to using closing or demolition orders, forced sales and the use of Empty Dwelling Management Orders