Over half of local authorities in England have failed to use new powers to issue civil penalties against rogue landlords in the past three years, a new survey has revealed.
A freedom of information request by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) shows fewer than 3,200 civil penalties were issued by local authorities between 2018/19 and 2020/21.
It found 71% of all civil penalties were issued by just 7% of the local authorities responding.
Chris Norris, director of policy and campaigns at the NRLA, said: ‘Our findings show that most councils are failing to use all the tools available to them to tackle rogue and criminal landlords.
’By failing to apply appropriate sanctions to punish wrongdoing, councils are weakening the principle of deterrence which underpins the civil penalties regime.
’We are calling on all councils to ensure they are making full and proper use of the powers they have to tackle those landlords who cause misery to tenants and bring the sector into disrepute.’
Since April 2017, councils across England have been able to issue civil penalties of up to £30,000 for a range of housing offences.
