Landlords | LocalGov


Council issues £45k in housing fines 01/04/2025 Salford City Council has issued £45,000 of fines to landlords in an effort to improve local housing conditions.
Landlord fined after 18 people found in three-bed house 20/02/2025 A landlord has been ordered to pay £37,000 after Barnet Council inspectors found 18 people, including children, sharing a home in Edgware.
Rayner announces £350m affordable housing boost 12/02/2025 An extra £350m will be invested to boost the number of affordable homes and more will be done to stop rogue landlords getting benefits, the deputy PM says.
Over 100 councils report not prosecuting rogue landlords 22/11/2024 More than 100 local authorities have reported that they have not prosecuted any rogue landlords at all in half a decade, new research reveals.
New powers for councils to tackle empty shops 12/11/2024 Local authorities will get new powers next month to force landlords to rent out persistently empty high street properties.
No-fault evictions ban returns to Commons 11/09/2024 A ban on landlords evicting tenants without a valid reason is among the ‘landmark’ renting reforms to be introduced to Parliament today.
Council seizes properties from rogue landlord 28/08/2024 A rogue landlord has had several properties seized by Merton Council after failing to license them in what is a first move of its kind for the London borough.
Award-winning Caseload Manager outperforms expectations, as tenancies under management near one million 22/07/2024 Voicescape’s award-winning technology, Caseload Manager, has outperformed expectations, doubling in size in the last 12 months.
Labour-commissioned report calls for cap on rent rises 14/05/2024 Rent rises should be capped to help millions of struggling renters in England and Wales, a new report commissioned by Labour argues.
Councils fail to collect £7m in fines from rogue landlords 14/05/2024 Less than half the fines levied against rogue landlords have been collected by local authorities, a freedom of information request has revealed.
MPs sign off indefinite delay to no-fault evictions ban 25/04/2024 The Renters (Reform) Bill, which now includes an indefinite delay to the long-awaited ban on ‘no-fault’ evictions, passed its third reading in the Commons yesterday.
Lib Dems pledge to scrap business rates 09/04/2024 The Liberal Democrats would deliver tax reforms to ‘revive struggling high streets’, leader Ed Davey will announce today.
No-fault evictions in London rise 60% 04/03/2024 London mayor Sadiq Khan has slammed ministers ‘broken promises’ over protections for private renters amid reports that promised reforms are being watered down.
Gove consults on plan for quicker housing repairs 09/01/2024 Social landlords would be required to fix hazards including damp and mould within ‘strict time limits’ under proposals set out by housing secretary Michael Gove today.
Liverpool launches taskforce to tackle criminal landlords 04/12/2023 Liverpool City Council has launched a taskforce to go after rogue landlords involved in criminality.
Council failure left ambulance unable to reach resident 15/11/2023 Stevenage Borough Council’s failure to fix a disabled resident’s door entry system left the ambulance service unable to attend to him, a watchdog has found.
Government urged to push through ‘no fault’ evictions ban 09/11/2023 The chair of the levelling up, housing and communities (LUHC) committee has urged the Government to commit to a timetable for abolishing section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.
Councils respond to King’s Speech 08/11/2023 The Local Government Association (LGA) has responded to proposed legislation announced yesterday in the King’s Speech.
Islington ordered to pay £66,000 after housing investigation 24/10/2023 A ‘disjointed’ approach to complaints and a ‘lack of ownership’ were found in a special investigation to be behind Islington Council's 'persisting' housing problems.
Social housing complaints hit record high 17/10/2023 Complaints against social housing landlords last year saw a record spike due to poor property conditions and media coverage after the death of Awaab Ishak.
Sheffield landlord gets country's longest banning order 06/10/2023 A Sheffield man has been added to the Rogue Landlord Database and banned from letting or managing properties for 10 years.
Landlord fined £285,000 after council investigates illegal homes 01/09/2023 A landlord who crammed vulnerable tenants into tiny flats above a Stoke Newington pub has been fined £285,000 after Hackney Council enforcement officers intervened.
Let renting childminders work from home, minister tells landlords 21/08/2023 Children and families minister Claire Coutinho has told developers and social landlords to allow childminders to work from rented properties.
Brent issues first ever ban on ‘criminal' landlord 17/08/2023 Brent Council has for the first time used a power that enables it to ban serial rogue landlords.
Campaigners call for more ‘sex for rent’ protections 29/06/2023 Generation Rent has called for the Government to do more to protect financially vulnerable renters from being forced into ‘sex for rent’ arrangements.
Charity warns of backdoor ‘no fault’ evictions 15/06/2023 Landlords will continue with ‘no fault’ evictions even after Section 21 evictions are banned if renters’ rights are not strengthened, charity warns.
Rogue landlords are using ‘fake bailiffs’, charity warns 05/06/2023 Rogue landlords are using fake private security guards dressed like court bailiffs to force families out of their rented homes, a charity has warned.
Social landlords urged to build ‘partnership of equals’ 01/06/2023 Social landlords should build a ‘partnership of equals’ with their tenants, a leading housing association has urged.
Council chiefs welcome proposals to ban ‘no fault’ evictions 17/05/2023 Local government leaders have welcomed the announcement of proposals to stop landlords evicting tenants without a good reason.
Calls for supported housing improvements 09/05/2023 MPs and Whitehall’s spending watchdog have demanded improved regulation and data on supported housing amid evidence the system is blighted by rogue landlords.
Landlords letting ‘non-decent’ homes get £1.6bn of benefits 19/04/2023 London Mayor Sadiq Khan is demanding action over the ‘scandal’ that billiions of pounds are being paid to landlords for substandard properties.
Government launches £500,000 know-your-rights scheme 19/04/2023 Social housing tenants in seven cities are to be offered a place on a Government-funded training scheme aimed at helping them hold their landlords to account.
Landlords accuse Government of complacency over benefits 18/04/2023 Landlords have accused the Government of complacency over tenants who cannot pay their housing costs.
Mayor told to take urgent action against rogue landlords 20/03/2023 Urgent action is needed to tackle rogue landlords who are targeting vulnerable Londoners and placing them in dangerous housing, committee warns.
Over 1.5m children living in mouldy rented homes 21/02/2023 More than one and a half million children in England are currently living in excessive cold, damp or mouldy private rented homes, new research has revealed.
One million private renters at risk of eviction 01/12/2022 One in 12 private renters in England – or nearly one million people – are currently under threat of eviction, housing charity reveals.
Landlords call for cost-of-living plan 30/09/2022 Landlords have urged the Chancellor to adopt a cost-of-living plan for the private rented sector.
Cost-of-living crisis to have ‘catastrophic’ impact 21/09/2022 The cost-of-living crisis is likely to have a ‘catastrophic’ impact on homelessness and so should be treated with the same level of urgency as the pandemic.
Landlords warn against end of ‘no fault’ evictions 07/09/2022 Government plans to stop landlords from being able to carry out ‘no fault’ evictions will encourage anti-social behaviour, landlords claim.
Council landlords named and shamed 17/08/2022 Seven councils have been named and shamed for failings in their housing services.
Grant worth £500,000 launched to help social housing residents 16/08/2022 Social housing residents are to be given more access to training and support to help them raise issues with their landlord thanks to a £500,000 grant.
Councils granted new powers to tackle unscrupulous landlords 04/07/2022 Local authorities are to receive new powers to help crack down on unscrupulous landlords who exploit vulnerable residents.
Two thirds of private renters unaware of new rights 23/06/2022 Two thirds of renters are unaware that their local authority can help them when they experience problems with a landlord, letting agent or home, report finds.
Council chiefs cautiously welcome new private renting protections 16/06/2022 New measures aimed at protecting the rights of renters are welcome but local authorities must be properly funded to support implementation, council chiefs say.
Over 820,000 households struggling to pay rent 08/06/2022 Landlords have called on the Chancellor to unfreeze housing benefit as they warn that hundreds of thousands of people struggle to pay their monthly rents.
City council approves selective licensing scheme 25/05/2022 Nottingham council has approved a new selective licensing scheme for private landlords in order to help safeguard and improve housing standards for tenants.
Landlords call for ‘property passports’ 24/05/2022 The association representing landlords has called for new property passports to help landlords prove their homes are compliant.
One in six private renters live in poor conditions 06/05/2022 More than one in six private renters in England were forced to accept poor conditions to find somewhere they could rent, housing charity says.
Failing social housing providers to be ‘named and shamed’ 29/03/2022 Providers of social housing who fail to deliver decent accommodation will be called out as part of reforms to drive up standards, Government announced today.
Section 21 evictions drop by over 50% 22/11/2021 The number of repossession cases in the courts involving landlords using ‘no explanation’ notices has decreased over past two years, Government data reveals.
Government announces measures to prevent company evictions 19/06/2020 The Government has extended measures to prevent struggling companies from eviction over the summer until the end of September.
Charity says it ‘defies belief’ that renters evicted during a pandemic 24/03/2020 Shelter has warned that legislation to suspend new eviction cases during the coronavirus pandemic does not go far enough as 20,000 evictions set to go ahead.
Next mayor should ‘step up’ fight against rogue landlords, group says 09/03/2020 Half of London’s boroughs did not fine any landlords for letting out unsafe homes in the past year, new research reveals.
Councils secure funding to tackle criminal landlords 17/01/2020 Councils across England are to share more than £4m to target criminal landlords and letting agents.
Council chiefs welcome £4m ‘rogue landlord’ fund 03/01/2020 Local authorities have welcomed a funding commitment by the Government aimed at cracking down on criminal landlords and letting agents.
Rogue landlord fined for ‘endangering lives’ 11/12/2019 A landlord in Birmingham has been successfully prosecuted and ordered to pay close to £20,000 for breaching housing regulations.
Consultation on opening up ‘rogue landlord’ database to public launched 22/07/2019 The Government has launched a consultation on proposals to open up its rogue landlord database to the public.
Over 500,000 social housing tenants in poverty due to smoking 27/06/2019 Over half a million social housing tenants are living in poverty due to the cost of smoking, anti-smoking campaigners say.
PM calls for new housing design laws 26/06/2019 The Prime Minister yesterday called for new design laws to ensure high-quality homes in a speech dismissed by Labour as a ‘lame duck announcement’.
Labour considers abolishing council tax for renters 04/06/2019 Labour Party is considering proposals to replace council tax with a ‘progressive property tax’, which would be payable by property owners rather than tenants.
New guidance for enforcement officers faced with rogue landlords 09/04/2019 The housing minister has announced that two new guidance documents are now available to help local authorities crack down on rogue landlords.
Peers recommend tax incentives for seaside landlords 04/04/2019 Landlords have welcomed a proposal by peers that they should be given tax incentives to improve their properties in seaside towns.
Council spending on tackling ‘criminal landlords’ down a quarter 28/02/2019 The amount councils spend on tackling landlords who break the law has been cut by a quarter in recent years, according to the latest analysis.
Whitehall must stop ‘rogue landlords’ receiving public money, council says 22/01/2019 Brent Council has urged the Government to stop rogue landlords who fail ‘fit and proper’ tests from receiving housing benefit.
Councils failing to protect tenants from ‘rogue landlords’ 29/11/2018 Tenants and good landlords are being failed by a system unable to root out criminal landlords, the results of a freedom of information request show.
Brokenshire proposes specialist housing court 13/11/2018 The communities secretary has announced he is considering establishing a specialist housing court to deal with disputes between landlords and tenants.
Whitehall launches selective licensing review 20/06/2018 The Government has announced it is launching a review into selective licensing to find out how well it is working.
Councils failing to stop ‘revenge evictions’ 18/06/2018 Local authorities are failing to protect private renters from ‘revenge evictions’ despite new legislation designed to protect tenants.
Redbridge cracks down on ‘rogue landlords’ with licensing scheme 04/06/2018 The Government has given the go-ahead for the expansion of a new licensing scheme across Redbridge to help the council improve conditions for private renters.
London’s boroughs throw weight behind ‘rogue landlord’ database 22/05/2018 All 33 of London’s boroughs have now signed up to the capital’s ‘rogue landlord checker’ database, mayor says.
Burnham proposes ‘rogue landlord’ amnesty 25/04/2018 Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has proposed an amnesty for ‘rogue landlords’ in an attempt to drive them out of the private rented sector.
Council chiefs call for ‘minimum’ £30,000 fine for rogue landlords 23/02/2018 Rogue landlords who commit serious housing offences should be fined a minimum of £30,000, council chiefs say.
Database leaves dodgy landlords with ‘nowhere to hide.’ 19/12/2017 The mayor of London today launched a new public online database which will enable people to check ‘dodgy’ landlords and letting agents.
Private landlords call for help reclaiming UC rent arrears 05/12/2017 Landlords are calling for a mechanism for them to reclaim any rent arrears built up by Universal Credit (UC) claimants who move out of their property.
MPs call for compulsory installation of CO alarms 08/11/2017 MPs yesterday called on the Government to make it illegal for a landlord not to install carbon monoxide alarms in post-Grenfell building regulations review.
Landlords dodge nearly £200m of tax in London borough 14/08/2017 Up to 13,000 landlords in one east London borough have failed to declare their rental income to the Government, the local council has found.
London mayor ‘names and shames’ criminal landlords with new database 26/04/2017 The mayor of London yesterday announced the launch of an online database that will ‘name and shame’ criminal landlords and letting agents in the capital.
'Dangerous rogue landlord benefit scam' costs taxpayer millions 07/04/2017 Council chiefs are calling on the Government to close a loophole in the law which enables rogue landlords to carry out a dangerous and costly housing benefit scam.