23rd
Dec 2015
The LGA (Local Government Association) has slated the legislative system for dealing with rogue landlords as ‘unfit for purpose’. It is strongly urging that a national database of landlords who had received housing related convictions, should replace the present system.
The LGA states that some rogue landlords who are banned from renting out’ homes’ in one area, are moving to another one to offend again and will do it time after time. It argues that under the present system it makes some councils powerless to bar them immediately.
In the Housing and Planning bill there does exist a database of landlords who have received banning orders, however councils now want this to include private landlords who have also been charged with other housing related convictions.
The LGA further backs up their statements by research that shows how the process of prosecuting landlords takes up to sixteen months and is extremely expensive for councils.
An example of this was when Wolverhampton City Council found out that a property had eleven serious contraventions. Eventually the judgement went in its ‘favour’ as the landlord was fined £2,600. The council’s costs meant that despite the fine, they had lost as much as£5,500.
The Local Government Association is asking for:
A more robust list of sentencing guidelines for magistrates and a larger variety of penalties.
Letting agents to be brought under the same rules as estate agents to stamp out bad operators.
A much tougher "fit and proper person" test – an initial screening process which is designed to detect rogue landlords and ban them across the UK.
Councillor Peter Box, the LGA environment spokesman, said: “A national information pool of rogue landlords is urgently needed so councils can identify the serial rogue operators and target them more effectively. We are calling for a system which protects the good landlords, whose reputation is being dragged down by the bad ones.”
He also said: “Councils are doing everything they can to tackle rogue landlords. However, they are being let down by the current system, which fails to account for the seriousness of the situation. Local authorities have found homes with fire escape doors opening out onto three-storey drops and without proper front doors, so tenants have discovered strangers sleeping on their sofas. Rogue landlords are calculating they can keep these sub-standard properties going while the cash comes in and walk away with effectively a slap on the wrist.”
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