Council warns it must rely on fines due to lack of enforcement funding

A council has warned landlords that the cost of enforcing the Renters’ Rights Act will be funded through prosecutions and fines imposed on criminal landlords, Somerset Live reports.

Bath and North East Somerset Council admitted during a council meeting that, as the Renters’ Rights Act only came into force last month, limited transition funding is available, and it will need to be supplemented through enforcement action.

Under the act, councils in England will receive £41 million to pay for their new enforcement powers.

Not necessarily any money for that

As reported in Somerset Live, Matt McCabe, cabinet member responsible for housing, said: “Local authorities now have an enforcement function but there is not necessarily any money for that.

“There is some transition money, but in future it will be that we will have to supplement from prosecutions. Which is not a sensible way forward in my view.”

Chair of the scrutiny panel, Andy Wait (Keynsham East, Liberal Democrat) agreed. He said: “It seems to be payment by results, which is possibly not the right image that you need to put across.”

Appointment of a tenancy relations officer

Bath and North East Somerset Council meeting minutes show a question was raised about how government funding would be used to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act.

The council said: “We are allocating limited funding towards the appointment of a Tenancy Relations Officer, whose role will be to support tenants and address breaches of tenancy standards when necessary.

“In addition, the council is in the process of engaging Bristol City Council’s experienced tenancy team to provide assistance with particularly complex or difficult tenancy matters, especially those that may lead to legal proceedings.”

The news comes as councils across the country are hiring extra staff to tackle selective licensing and the Renters’ Rights Act.