London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a new "Better Renting" training qualification for London's borough housing officers enabling them to supplement housing enforcement teams affected by shortages of qualified and experienced environmental health officers. The training course, Private Sector Housing Interventions, is delivered by Middlesex University, is CIEH accredited and lasts for a year. Course topics include housing condition and intervention and tenancy sustainment (which will help officers mediate between landlords and tenants to resolve issues).

Mayor Khan wants to build skills and capacity in enforcement teams and 265 officers have so far completed the course.

CIEH Chief Executive, Dr Phil James, said council teams will get the skills "needed to support tenants, do more inspections of rented properties and take more enforcement actions against unscrupulous landlords" letting dangerous homes.

Two questions remain though: Mayor Khan has called on Govt to double the amount chargeable via rent repayment orders meaning at average London 12 month rents, a rogue landlord could be charged up to £34,000 for say, operating an unlicensed property. As the training course was developed with cash provided by the Government will DLUHC go the rest of the way and accede to the Mayor's request? And further, will a council enforcement team's gain in skills be matched by an increase in the salary cost bottom line? That's not quite clear.