Council hits landlords with £1.5m in fines

Over the past two years, a council’s pilot scheme targeting landlords has racked up £1.5 million in fines, The Times reveals.

That’s a big rise from the £1 million recorded in the previous two years.

The initiative by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), representing the region’s 10 councils, equips housing officers with enhanced authority to investigate and penalise landlords.

They also have access to trading standards intelligence and the ability to impose fines of up to £30,000.

The scheme’s main aim is to ensure more criminal landlords face the maximum penalty for criminal conduct, such as neglecting safety regulations.

High PRS standards

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, highlighted the initiative as a key part of his Good Landlord Charter, which promotes high standards in rental properties.

Speaking to The Times, he said: “For years now, local councils have been left reeling by a combination of growing pressures and squeezed resources.

“With this new generation of enforcement officers, we are stepping up and strengthening local enforcement teams, so that we can do more to crack down on bad housing practices.”

The power to issue fines of up to £30,000 has been available since 2016, yet most councils haven’t used it.

Civil penalties for landlords

A National Residential Landlords Association report for 2022-23 revealed that English local authorities issued 1,651 civil penalties, with nearly two-thirds originating from just 20 councils.

Half of England’s local authorities issued none at all.

The Times found that, in contrast, Greater Manchester’s 10 enforcement teams have issued 113 penalties over the past two years, a 43% increase compared to the period before the pilot began.

In Wigan, one of the region’s boroughs, the enforcement team, has issued 20 penalties in the past year alone, up from zero previously.

One landlord faced multiple fines totalling £64,000 for violations, including the absence of an electrical safety certificate.

More people are homeless

Government data for 2023-24 shows 358,370 English households sought local authority support after facing homelessness or loss of accommodation.

In Manchester, the wait for social housing is around three years for a one-bedroom council property, five to seven years for a two- or three-bedroom home.

It’s more than a decade for a four-bedroom house, according to Manchester Move.

The city’s housing register currently lists 15,000 people awaiting homes.

In comparison, Londoners face waits of just over two years for a one-bedroom property and over six years for a four-bedroom home.