Landlords and letting agents in a big London borough are to face a crackdown as the council involved targets some 10,000 private rented sector (PRS) properties with the worst category of health hazards.

The London Borough of Brent in north west London has already rolled out rogue landlord banning orders, as well as hiring eight more compliance officers to carry out 40,000 extra inspections a year.

But under intense pressure from tenant groups, council leaders have agreed to increase their efforts to deal with acute problems in the area, Harrow Online reports.

PRS hazards

The PRS in Brent has grown from 32% of the housing stock in 2011 to around 46% last year.

More than 10,000 privately rented homes in Brent have at least one ‘category 1’ health hazard (18%), according to council estimates.

Promise Knight, cabinet member for housing homelessness and renters’ security, told a tenants forum meeting: “I’m someone that grew up in overcrowded social housing. […] I’ve also been a private renter, I know what it means to spend over a third of your income on rent.

“I’m someone that wants to listen and understand your concerns, to think about what is within our remit and what we can do to assist.”

Banning order

Knight said: “We have one of the most proactive enforcement PRS teams in London with high numbers for both the prosecution and fining of criminal and rogue landlords.”

Brent is 100 per cent behind the aim to improve living standards for private renters”.

She added: “Brent was recently successful in securing a banning order against a criminal landlord, which will stop him from managing or letting any property in the country.

“We have licenced more HMOs than any other London borough, and introduced selective licensing in three Brent wards this year to ensure that standards are improved within the private rented sector.

“Brent is 100 per cent behind the aim to improve living standards for private renters,” she said.

Picture of Brent Civic Centre: Google Streetview