Beside the seaside: perceptions from the ‘front line’ on the support needs of families living in the private-rented sector in Margate

Margate was once a thriving seaside town but with loss of local tourism it is now multiply deprived, its many hotels and guest houses converted into privately rented houses in multiple-occupation (HMOs). The community is transient, demographically skewed, with greater numbers of children in care and economic migrants who present a special demand on local services. Despite a growing interest in setting policy in respect of other issues, there is little published on the state of the privately-rented housing sector in seaside towns and how conditions might be addressed effectively. This paper establishes a context for effective partnerships working in seaside towns through the selected findings of interviews with front-line practitioners invited to describe the challenges faced in supporting families living in privately-rented housing in Margate. Particular attention is paid to the reasons why people move to the seaside, the ‘fluid’ nature of the community and how partnerships are developing to tackle private sector housing enforcement, community support and social care needs