By Charlotte Hall

Greater Manchester councils spend around £75m a year on temporary housing, according to the mayor.

Andy Burnham called for an overhaul of the whole housing system and took aim at 'profiteering landlords' who 'collect public money' while failing to maintain decent living standards for their tenants. 

Mr Burnham said: "The ten councils of Greater Manchester are spending £75 million a year on temporary accommodation for families who have been evicted, because they have a duty to house them. But they're often forced to go to the most expensive part of the private rented sector because there's not enough council housing. 

"Too many [landlords] have been profiteering, collecting public money from the benefits system for renting out properties and not reinvesting a penny of it into the upkeep of those properties. You go around Greater Manchester and you can see streets where that is the case."  

A Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Report published last year warned that spending could soon hit the £75m mark. It found 5,000 households living in temporary homes across the region, which include 7,000 children. 

The statistics reflect a stark 71 pc increase in households in temporary housing in Greater Manchester since 2020, compared to 26pc across England.

Mr Burnham believes the solution is to 'build more council housing' and has called on the government to support local authorities. 

"We've just been getting housing wrong," the mayor said on the Mayoral hotseat on Thursday, May 29. "In my opinion, since the 1980s and Right to Buy. We took a wrong turn."

His comments came as the entire social housing sector has come under fire by the Housing Ombudsman. The watchdog today revealed that complaints about poor living conditions have risen by almost 500 per cent compared to five years ago. 

Damp and mould, Asbestos, electrical and fire safety issues, pest control and leaks are among the complaints made by social housing tenants. Most social housing is now managed by private Housing Associations rather than councils. 

The mayor said: "I would like to see councils building more council housing again, because they need more direct control."

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