Since 2010 when Cameron became Prime Minister the Tory party has increased private rented sector regulations by virtually a third.

According to recent research by a trade association in nine years regulations for the BTL sector have risen by 32%, from 2010's 118 to the present where there are now 156 in place.

In spite of the ever increasing regulatory burden the association says that councils have failed to improve enforcement action to tackle rogue landlords and the majority of councils are not using the powers they had been given.

Other research undertaken by the association found that during 2017/18 as many as two thirds of councils failed to prosecute any private landlords.

In the same year, 89% of councils admitted to not having used any of the new powers to issue Civil Penalties of up to £30,000 against rogue landlords, for breaching fit for habitation rules.

The trade association was also told at the time that more than half of councils, 53%, had been unable to implement proper structures and policies to use the new powers.

With the oncoming election the trade association is telling all political parties that if and when in power to not introduce any new PRS regulations, and instead make sure that councils have proper policies in place to enforce the existing powers to kick out rogue operators.

The trade association has now released its manifesto to all parties in the hope that they will actually read it before the general election, as it sets out many key priorities, one of which is to develop and introduce a housing court in light of the proposed scrapping of the Section 21 notice.

A spokesperson for the association, said: “Removing criminal landlords from the sector will only be achieved if councils have the resources and the will to properly use the wide range of powers they already have.

“It is time for smarter enforcement, not more regulation.”