Private renters can put repairs, rent rises and rogue landlords to the council at the first forum, 6pm on 2 September at George Meehan House, Wood Green.

Haringey Council is launching a Private Renters’ Forum, and anyone who rents a room or a home from a private landlord in the borough is invited to the first meeting on 2 September, from 6pm to 8pm at George Meehan House, 294 High Road, Wood Green, N22 8YX. The council announced the forum on 4 August.

The forum will bring renters together with council officers, tenants’ rights organisations and local community groups every three months. The council says it will be run collaboratively, with residents invited to help plan and lead the meetings, and names Haringey Advice Partnership and Justice for Tenants among the organisations supporting it.

According to the council, many renters in the borough report landlords who ignore repair requests, charge “extortionate” rents and fail to meet other responsibilities. The forum is intended as a counterpart to the borough’s longstanding landlords’ forum, and its stated aims are to identify common problems with rented homes, help improve enforcement against landlords, raise awareness of renters’ rights and the rules around renting, and involve residents in council decisions and national campaigns.

Cllr Tammy Hymas, Co-Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Private renting isn’t working. For too long private renters in our borough have felt powerless when things go wrong, whether that’s dealing with poor conditions or unaffordable rent hikes.”

She added: “The forum will help us to identify the challenges facing renters and take action on landlords who are making significant profits but failing their tenants. Everyone should have a safe, secure and well-managed home.”

The launch is part of the new administration’s first 100 days plan, delivering a commitment made at May’s local elections.

What it means for you

If you rent privately in Crouch End, Hornsey or Muswell Hill: the meeting is open to anyone renting in the borough’s private sector, whether a whole home or a single room, and no council announcement mentions any need to register in advance. It is a direct route to raise disrepair, rent rises or licensing concerns with the officers responsible for enforcement. George Meehan House is on Wood Green High Road, close to Wood Green station.

If a problem cannot wait until September: the council’s existing routes still apply; its private tenants pages cover disrepair complaints and landlord licensing. For wider local context on the housing market, see our Crouch End house prices page.

If you are a landlord: the council has paired the new forum with an explicit warning that landlords “who fail in their duty will be held to account”, and improving enforcement is one of the forum’s stated purposes.