London councils have recovered only a third of fines imposed on landlords over the past two years, according to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
Between 2023/24 and 2024/25, 32 London councils issued nearly £8.7m in civil penalties for housing offences, but less than £3m was collected.
Over the same period, around 1,300 fines were issued, while five councils – the City of London Corporation, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, and Hammersmith & Fulham – reported issuing no penalties at all.
With the Renters’ Rights Act coming into force on 1 May, which raises maximum civil penalties from £7,000 to £40,000, the NRLA warns that underfunded enforcement teams risk letting rogue landlords slip through the net.
The NRLA is urging the government to boost funding, introduce a national Chief Environmental Health Officer, and require councils to publish annual enforcement reports to strengthen tenant protections.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, said: ‘For too long a minority of rogue and criminal operators have been 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.’
A London Councils spokesperson said: 'Boroughs are determined to tackle rogue landlords in the capital. The Renters’ Rights Act will bring many welcome measures to support boroughs’ work, but we are concerned that stretched resources mean it will often remain a challenge to take enforcement action.
'London is grappling with the most severe housing and homelessness emergency in the country. Increasing boroughs’ resources would put them in a much stronger position to support tenants, take on rogue landlords, and help drive the high standards in London’s private rental sector that we all want to see.'
