Meet the Speaker - Linda Cobb OBE
It's just over a month until the NRLA's UK Housing Conference with our 'Meet the Speakers' series introducing you to some of the experts you’ll hear from on the day . Today we talk to Linda Cobb OBE, senior manager at DASH, on property standards and creating resilience in your business.
Linda Cobb's journey into housing was anything but conventional. After graduating with a psychology degree and a stint in estate agency during the boom years, she made the leap to DASH (Decent and Safe Homes) as an officer - and hasn't looked back since.
"I probably wasn't a stereotypical estate agent," Linda admits. "I was very much of the opinion that there is a middle ground for most things, and I think that's where the NRLA have been really good.”
Standards matter
At the NRLA conference, on 5 November in Liverpool, Linda will be discussing property standards and how landlords can ensure their portfolios are fit for purpose. Her message is clear: regular property inspections aren't optional, they're essential.
"The big drum I always bang is making sure you're doing your property inspections, making sure you get inside that front door," she said. "Creating that professionalism and urging people away from 'yeah, it's alright, they've been in there 15 years, I've not had any trouble'."
Linda advocates for a more empathetic approach that balances respect for tenants' homes with landlords' need for protection. "You can still do it in an empathetic way - 'this is your home, I'm just here to check on a few things' - but you really do need to be making sure you're protected as well."
Partnership working
DASH emerged from the first wave of housing legislation, when the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and licensing schemes were introduced. Rather than each local authority developing their own policies independently, DASH coordinated efforts across the East Midlands.
"It was partnership working, I guess, before partnership working was called that," said Linda. "We helped the local authorities do it once as opposed to every local authority doing their own thing."
That approach has stood the test of time. Today, DASH continues to work alongside local authorities, now supporting them through the Renters' Rights Bill via Operation Jigsaw - an MHCLG-funded project helping councils navigate the new legislation.
Building resilience
On the Renters' Rights Bill, Linda is pragmatic. She doesn't believe it holds any major surprises - Section 21 was always going to be abolished, and most provisions appeared in the previous Renters' Reform Bill.
What matters now, she argues, is building resilience. "It's about developing resilience in your business model," she explained. "As a businessperson renting these properties out, how resilient is my business to these changes? How Can I get prepared and get ready? "
The reality
Through DASH's accreditation scheme, which includes virtual property inspections, Linda sees both the best and worst of the sector. While she encounters heartbreaking cases through enforcement training - properties that desperately let the sector down - these remain the minority.
"We've got thousands of landlords on our books, and we've got something like a 97% compliance rate," she said.
She recalls landlords' actions during COVID - delivering food parcels, waiving rent, going above and beyond for their tenants. The bad landlords are still the minority."
Linda's advice to conference attendees? Come prepared to hear from professionals with their finger on the pulse, ready to share practical tools rather than rhetoric.
"What we're doing is actually really exciting," she said. "Working together – landlords and authorities - we can create a robust rental market that works for landlords and tenants. Our kids are going to benefit from the private rented sector we're preparing today."
NRLA conference
The NRLA’s annual conference is in its fourth year and has gone from strength to strength since the inaugural event in 2022. Former speakers have included then-Housing Secretary Michael Gove, former Dragon’s Den star James Caan CBE and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
This year’s conference will be hosted by the award-winning business journalist Steph McGovern, with speakers including property guru Sarah Beeny.
To secure your place at this year’s UK Housing Conference click here.
More information
For all the latest announcements on speakers, check out our website and follow us on social media.
