Councils accused of “letting rogue landlords off the hook” with low fine collection rates

According to the NRLA, between 2023/24 and 2024/25 of 285 English councils, a total of almost £30 million in civil penalties was imposed on private landlords for housing offences.

“In spite of this just a quarter of that amount (almost £7.5 million) was actually collected,” it claimed.

Overall, almost 3,700 civil penalties were issued to landlords over the same period. 

The NRLA’s research was based on freedom of information requests sent to all English councils responsible for enforcement in the private rented sector.

The group noted that the Renters’ Rights Act is due to come into force from 1 May,  with the legislation increasing the maximum amount that can be levied in civil penalties from £7,000 to £40,000.

The NRLA warned that “without a major increase in upfront funding for council enforcement teams, rogue and criminal landlords will continue to slip through the net”.

The group has also called on the Government to:

• “Champion better enforcement by establishing a new Chief Environmental Health Officer post which would have a national remit.
• Undertake a full assessment of the resources local authority enforcement teams currently have, and will need, to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act.
• Encourage greater transparency by requiring councils to publish an annual report on enforcement activity related to the private rented sector in their area.”

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Tenants and the vast majority of responsible landlords will rightly be fed up with our findings. 

“For too long a minority of rogue and criminal operators have allowed to act with impunity, bringing the sector into disrepute. It is galling then to see that those breaking the law are still failing to pay the price – leaving good landlords to pick up the tab in licensing fees.

“This also raises serious questions about how ready councils are to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act, and about the adequacy of the upfront funding provided to them to support enforcement action.”