Illegal renting and overcrowded housing
The new law for landlords has been enforced from 6th April 2017, allowing councils to impose fines of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution. However, how many of those cases have been found?
Are the people found living in such houses evicted? what’s their future? did the council give them alternative accommodations or they became homeless? Moreover, what about the landlords who paid those fines? How has that money been spent by the councils? The law declares such income has to be used for “private sector housing enforcement purposes”.
I’m a third-year journalism student, currently working as a freelancer and researching on the topic. Any feedback, opinion, personal story, would be appreciated and fairly reported. I would like to have opinions and feedback on the issue by landlords and landlords associations as I believe too often mainstream media do not report their point of view and portray them as “rogue landlords”.
Please do not hesitate to leave your feedback in the comments section below.
Many thanks
Fabiola
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Member Since April 2017 - Comments: 163 - Articles: 1
9:36 AM, 20th October 2017, About 8 years ago
I would seriously love to speak to you particularly from the point of HMO legislation. I have a serious story to tell and you can contact me on (07768) 848602
Member Since April 2015 - Comments: 468
10:38 AM, 20th October 2017, About 8 years ago
I had rented a one bed flat to a lady a few years ago and after about a year, her brother in Africa sent her five children to live with her so effectively there were six people in this flat. I told her to see the council to be rehoused and after an officer visited the property, she was informed that they could not do anything as she had accommodation and there was nothing available.
After a few months after seeing her MP and taking various legal advice nothing was done and I eventually evicted her on her request as this was the only way she was able to get another property through the council.
I have two other similar cases where the properties started of being suitable for the number of tenants at the start of the tenancy however, other family members have either been born or moved in and on one occasion the council wrote a letter to me for overcrowding and I served a section 21 notice. The housing department however will not offer the family accommodation unless they are evicted where the bailiffs give me possession of the property.
In both cases, the housing department are aware that the property is overcrowded although, they were not at the start of the tenancy however, the council will not offer them accommodation without evicting them with the bailiffs
Member Since December 2015 - Comments: 828
8:38 PM, 20th October 2017, About 8 years ago
contact housing ombudsman–they take or at least took a dim view of these unnecessary evictions
Member Since November 2013 - Comments: 1130 - Articles: 2
11:42 AM, 21st October 2017, About 8 years ago
Reply to the comment left by terry sullivan at 20/10/2017 – 20:38
I would only recommend going to the Housing Ombudsman if it was a requirement in the complaints process.
To complain about a local authority, escalate to someone higher up, then to the council governing committee and also involve the MP if that’s your MP (if you live in a different constituency, you can ask your own MP to make a representation to the relevant MP on your behalf).
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2193 - Articles: 2
4:00 PM, 21st October 2017, About 8 years ago
I have a list, signed by the tenant(s) of everybody who is permitted to reside at the address on the front of my tenancy agreement. All adult residents are joint tenants and any children are only permitted if they are listed on the tenancy agreement. This will of course not stop overcrowding but it may help your case if ever the council decides to impose a penalty.
Member Since May 2016 - Comments: 1570 - Articles: 16
8:00 PM, 21st October 2017, About 8 years ago
Hello Fabiola,
Please feel free to contact me via my email for further discussion.
[email protected]
Chris