Another Two-Faced Landlord-bashing Council outed for keeping their own tenants in deadly properties
The living conditions in a couple of council flats in a tower block off Regina Road in South Norwood, Croydon have been condemned as “dangerous squalor” and “appalling” in a devastating television news report: Click here.
The London Borough of Croydon ranks equal 13th in our league of the councils that are most aggressive to landlords with enforcement and fines. That’s 13th most aggressive out of 340 or so councils and they really are incredibly vicious against private sector landlords for even the most minor of housing quality issues.
This story from last year which has just been brought to our attention following our recent expose on Birmingham City Council’s similar incredible level of two-faced-ness in pursuing private landlords whilst leaving their own tenants in not only squalor but actually in highly dangerous conditions as damp and mould is one of the most damaging of the “Hazards” for which council prosecute and fine private sector landlords.
And in this report Croydon City Council has been found to be just as two-faced as Birmingham City Council out for renting properties with deadly dampness and mould. If this were a private landlord they would issue them with Civil Penalty Fines in the multiple £10,000s
However, the legislation that aggressive councils Like Croydon and Birmingham use to generate massive revenue by fining private landlords out of business doesn’t even apply to them.
That so many councils treat private landlords as scum and openly describe them all as criminals whilst putting tenants in far worse conditions and are excused legal liability for the harm they are causing to tenant’s health is at best obscene and the councillors and officials should be made personally liable as private landlords are.
Things must change
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Member Since June 2014 - Comments: 1564
4:08 PM, 16th May 2022, About 4 years ago
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Member Since November 2017 - Comments: 263
8:33 AM, 17th May 2022, About 4 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 16/05/2022 – 16:08
In this case, one would forlornly hope that our national government would ‘watch the watchers’.
It’s way past time that the playing field was ‘leveled up’ and local government failures made subject to prosecution. A successful action to trigger the subsequent dismissal of those responsible with removal of pension rights and possible personal fines. The fundamental problem with local government and other bodies, (gas, elec, water, etc…), is the lack of individual accountability.
Member Since March 2015 - Comments: 1969 - Articles: 1
8:56 AM, 17th May 2022, About 4 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim Rogers at 17/05/2022 – 08:33
Nothing could be more true. And that goes for every single Governmental departments, whether local or national. I fear we’ve been too long without expectation of honour and pride in the work from our public servants, it’s now seen as the baseline standard to have no accountability and be shuffled when things go wrong. Central Funds can cover any major cock-ups.