23rd
Sep 2015
The LGA (Local Government Association) has called for tougher measures to be taken against rogue landlords/letting agents and to be jailed for consistently offending.
The association represents more than 370 councils throughout England and Wales, and is urging the Government to implement new controls to magistrates that will allow them to hand out prison sentences to those ‘rogues’ who are the worst offenders.
It says that although councils have introduced their own licensing schemes, that the level of fines are not troubling rogue landlords and they are just carrying on “ripping off tenants”.
The Local Government Association has listed new measures that the government can give magistrates for tougher sentencing. The LGA fully backs the government’s plans to introduce a blacklist of rogue landlords and lettings agents, it does ask the question of who will bear the cost?
The LGA wants new sentencing guidelines to be introduced as soon as possible for housing offences, these will list more appropriate fines which can be followed throughout England and Wales. It also calls for changes to the Housing Act to introduce new penalties for fines, community orders and prison sentences.
The Association agrees with the blacklist of persistent offenders which will help councils' efforts in granting licences to landlords and any enforcement notices. It urges the government not to make councils shoulder all of the administrative burden and costs of putting the list together.
It also calls for the ‘fit and proper person’ test for landlords should be tougher so that it can provide a proper template. By providing this it will be made crystal clear to both councils and landlords what is expected when granting or refusing licences.
The LGA also strongly urges the government to change the notice period and compensation arrangements for Article 4 planning powers. This will help councils to answer and act upon any concerns of major concentrations of HMO’s (houses in multiple occupation) in any locale.
The government should also hand over to councils ‘power to direct’ excess public land to help improve standards in the private rented sector, but only if large scale investment is used to provide new rented ‘homes’.
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