Jacob Young MP addresses NRLA members on Renters (Reform) Bill
2 years ago | 24 comments
NRLA slams councils’ handling of criminal landlords
12:03 AM, 13th May 2024, 2 years ago
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The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has hit out after research reveals that councils have collected less than half of fines levied against criminal landlords in England.
According to the NRLA, just £6 million out of £13 million in civil penalties imposed on landlords between 2021 and 2023 have been collected by councils.
This means less than half of the fines are being recovered, raising questions about the effectiveness of the current enforcement measures.
Current rules enable councils to issue civil penalties of up to £30,000 for a range of offences with the income used to fund further enforcement activity.
‘Criminal landlords cause misery for their tenants’
The NRLA’s chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: “Criminal landlords cause misery for their tenants and undermine the reputation of the responsible majority.
“Tackling them should be a high priority for councils.”
He added: “At a time of tight budgets, it is strange that councils are failing to collect the fines levied on those landlords failing to do the right thing.
“It makes a mockery of the deterrent such fines should be.
“It will also come as a bitter blow to the many responsible landlords who comply with, and exceed, their responsibilities – but are subject to licencing regimes and associated fees all the same.”
He says the government and councils should work together to boost enforcement teams and make better use of the existing powers they have to tackle poor-quality housing.
Report highlights inconsistency in enforcement
The NRLA’s report also highlights the inconsistency in enforcement across different local authorities.
It found that nearly half (49%) of councils haven’t issued any penalties in the past three years, while a staggering 69% have only issued five or fewer.
These figures were uncovered with Freedom of Information (FoI) requests and come at a time when the Renters (Reform) Bill is being debated in Parliament.
The bill proposes to expand the range of offences for which councils can issue civil penalties.
However, the NRLA’s data casts doubt on councils’ ability to effectively utilise these new powers when they are struggling to enforce existing ones.
The NRLA says a national Chief Environmental Health Officer role needs to be created to lead the charge for improved enforcement against criminal landlords.
It adds that the government should also boost the capacity of council enforcement teams by establishing a recruitment and training fund – and support councils to share best practices.
Tags:
Council Enforcement Failures UK, councils, fines, Housing, Improving Landlord Regulation UK, Landlord Fines Collection Issues, Landlords, NRLA, NRLA Criminal Landlords Report, renting, tenants, UK Housing Enforcement Inconsistency
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Member Since June 2023 - Comments: 27
7:35 AM, 13th May 2024, About 2 years ago
Bring back those halcyon days when it would have been shocking to see a landlord association or sector media complaining that landlords are not being fined enough
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3538 - Articles: 5
8:11 AM, 13th May 2024, About 2 years ago
why more and more layers of bureaucracy and what are NRLA getting involved?.
All they need to is make a statement to say it is criminal that councils are not doing the job properly in holding ROGUE landlords to account despite having powers and money to do so and as a result the government should be holding councils directly to account – ESPECIALLY where the government themselves have given consent for Councils to raise MORE money to tackle this!
Member Since June 2019 - Comments: 782
8:15 AM, 13th May 2024, About 2 years ago
Remove the NRLA from the front of this story and I would assume it was written by an anti landlord charity!
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3538 - Articles: 5
9:35 AM, 13th May 2024, About 2 years ago
NRLA – keep your nose out! The next thing LL’s will be getting is billed for more things the council wants to do and want it funding by landlords…!
Member Since December 2023 - Comments: 1590
9:35 AM, 13th May 2024, About 2 years ago
NRLA are not pro-landlord. They are pro-NRLA.
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2203 - Articles: 2
12:08 PM, 13th May 2024, About 2 years ago
What more needs to be said save that NRLA are now on a par with Shelter and Generation Rent.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 357
1:11 PM, 13th May 2024, About 2 years ago
Why are NRLA not asking why landlords can be hit with huge fines. Not even given by a court but someone at a council.
You have some very decent people work for a council. Then you have the ones that just dislike landlords. And they can hit landlords with fines for thousands.
Look at the size of fines given out on real crimes and they are no where near a thousand pounds in most cases.
Yet tenants can steal property belonging to the landlord cause criminal damage . Yet no court case taken against them.
Commit fraud false documents claim benefits no action.
I am all for making a landlord comply but £30 k fines just does not seem right.
Member Since July 2016 - Comments: 156
2:25 PM, 13th May 2024, About 2 years ago
Would the Police Federation, who represent rank and file cops, spend membership fees on research and put out a release saying that more money needs to be spent to tackle bent cops because they cause “misery” to the public and undermine the reputation of the majority of cops? I doubt it.
Member Since January 2011 - Comments: 12212 - Articles: 1408
1:25 AM, 14th May 2024, About 2 years ago
Lots of criminals are fined a lot less than £30,000 for far worse crimes than landlords commit. Fines on landlords are disproportionately high. The NRLA should be focusing on that in my opinion. They are supposed to be a body representing landlords, are they not?
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 154
5:01 PM, 18th May 2024, About 2 years ago
Never mind a national Chief Environmental Health Officer to lead the charge for improved enforcement against criminal landlords, what we need is a leader of the NRLA to champion the cause for the 99% NON-criminal landlords. I would start by nominating Mick Roberts. Sorry, Mick, I forgot to consult you first but, quite honestly, if we wait any longer we are all stuffed!