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£5M cash for Councils to
stop rogue landlords
COUNCILS across the Country are to
receive a £5m cash boost to tackle rogue landlords in their area, Housing
Minister Brandon Lewis announced. 48 Councils will share the funding so they
can take on the irresponsible landlords that force tenants to live in
squalid and dangerous properties, making their lives a misery.
The cash will also allow Councils to root out more 'beds in sheds'.
Since 2011 nearly 40,000 inspections have taken place in properties with
over 3,000 landlords facing further enforcement action or prosecution.
The funding will allow local authorities to carry out more raids, increase
inspections of property, issue more statutory notices, survey more streets
and to demolish sheds and prohibited buildings.
Mr Lewis said this funding is part of a package of measures that will
ensure millions of hard working tenants get a better deal when they rent a
home. Significant progress has already been made, now with £11.7 million
distributed to Councils to crack down on rogue landlords. And we have
introduced protection for tenants against retaliatory eviction where they
have a legitimate complaint and stopped landlords from serving an open-ended
eviction notice at the start of a tenancy.
The measures will not hamper the vast majority of landlords who are diligent
and responsible.
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said:- "Many private rental tenants are
happy with their home and the service they receive, but there are still
rogue landlords that exploit vulnerable people and force their tenants to
live in overcrowded and squalid accommodation.
We are determined to tackle these rogues which is why we are providing 48
Councils with extra funding, so they can get rid of the cowboy operators in
their area and bring an end to tenants living in miserable homes in the name
of profit.
We also want to raise the quality and choice of rental accommodation across
the sector. The funding will ensure tenants know what level of service they
can expect and have confidence to get help and take action if things go
wrong."
The poor quality, overcrowded and dangerous accommodation let by rogue
landlords can result in a ripple effect of wider problems in the local
community such as noise problems; sanitation issues for whole roads; greater
fire risk; Council Tax and benefit fraud and anti social behaviour such as
street drinking.
This funding should to tackle rogue landlords is part of an ambitious package of
proposals in the Housing and Planning Bill to ensure that England's 9
million private tenants feel confident to demand better standards and
management of their property by landlords.
Measures in the Bill include:-
► Database of rogue landlords and property agents convicted of certain
offences.
► Banning orders for the most serious and prolific offenders.
► Introduction of civil penalties of up to £30, 000 as an alternative to
prosecution.
► Extension of Rent Repayment Orders to cover illegal eviction, breach of a
banning order or failure to comply with a statutory notice.
► More stringent fit and proper person test for landlords of licensable
properties such as Houses in Multiple Occupation.
From 1 February 2016 landlords will have to carry out Right to Rent checks
to ensure potential tenants have the right to rent property in the UK.
Right to rent checks can be done from 28 days before the start of a tenancy
agreement. for more information visit this UK Government
website. |
