Agents facing tougher enforcement by councils this year as fines hit record

Total fines for London’s letting agents and landlords have increased by an average of £90,000 per month in 2022, taking the total to £8,157,745, latest analysis reveals.

Over 12% of all £8.1 million in fines have been recorded in the Capital in the last 12 months, suggesting a major post-pandemic increase in enforcement from London’s local authorities.

The research by Kamma also shows a total of 52 new schemes and consultations were launched in 2022, five more than the previous year and almost 10 more than in 2020 as the PRS regulatory burden grows.

ROGUE LANDLORDS

Fines handed out to rogue landlords and letting agents averaged £90,000 per month in 2022.

Over 12% of all fines in London were handed out in the last 12 months, an increase of over £1 million since last December.

August topped the chart as the most active month for fine activity with fines totalling over £238,000 handed out.

Average fines for letting agents also increased to £4,695 – an increase of over £200 pounds since 2021. Some eight out of 10 (78%) of all agent and landlord fines are related to management and licensing of houses and HMOs.

ENFORCEMENT

Camden council has continued to top the council enforcement list in terms of number of cases brought forward, followed closely by Newham and Waltham Forest.

Yet, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is now the London borough with the highest average fines of £19,800, followed by Hillingdon with an average of £13,500, and Hackney with £11,250.

2022 has been another record year for licensing and fines handed out.”

Orla Shields (pictured), Chief Executive and Co-founder of Kamma, says: “2022 has been another record year for licensing and fines handed out, with total fines now exceeding £8.1 million in London alone.

“At the same time, average agent fines have increased by over £200 pounds just in the last year, with the upward trend continuing into 2023.”