Councils collect just 25% of landlord fines

Councils in England have collected only a quarter of the civil penalties issued to landlords for housing offences over the past two years, research reveals.

The National Residential Landlords Association says its data was obtained through Freedom of Information requests to English councils responsible for PRS enforcement.

Across 2023/24 and 2024/25, 285 councils imposed almost £30 million in civil penalties on private landlords.

Just under £7.5 million of that total was actually recovered.

Fed-up responsible landlords

The NRLA’s chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: “Tenants and the vast majority of responsible landlords will rightly be fed up with our findings.

“For too long a minority of rogue and criminal operators have allowed to act with impunity, bringing the sector into disrepute.

“It is galling then to see that those breaking the law are still failing to pay the price – leaving good landlords to pick up the tab in licensing fees.”

He added: “This also raises serious questions about how ready councils are to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act, and about the adequacy of the upfront funding provided to them to support enforcement action.”

RRA implemented in May

The NRLA says that the same records show that nearly 3,700 civil penalties were issued to landlords during the two-year period.

Its research has been published ahead of the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force on 1 May.

Under the legislation, the maximum civil penalty available to councils will increase from £7,000 to £40,000.

According to the NRLA, the figures indicate that councils are not collecting funds that could otherwise be used to support enforcement activity in the private rented sector.

Examine council enforcement funding

The organisation says the issue raises questions about how local authorities will enforce the new regime once the higher civil penalties become available.

Alongside the research, the NRLA is calling for the creation of a new Chief Environmental Health Officer post with a national remit for improving enforcement standards.

It is also urging the government to undertake a full assessment of the resources currently available to local authority enforcement teams.

It says an analysis of the funding they will require to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act is needed.

The organisation also says councils should be required to publish an annual report setting out enforcement activity relating to the PRS in their area.