More than 100 councils have not prosecuted rogue landlords
A freedom of information request reveals that 115 local authorities didn't take any property owners to court in the last five years.
More than 100 local councils failed to prosecute any rogue landlords in the last five years, new evidence shows.
A freedom of information (FOI) request by legal claims firm Public Interest Lawyers reveals that 115 authorities didn’t take any property owners to court, although these figures don’t include penalty fines, which don’t need court action.
The number represented 46% of the councils that responded to the FOI, which was 80% of the total in England and Wales.
A further 49 took legal action against a solitary landlord in the five-year period up to March 2024.
Formal warnings
Most prosecutions related to a failure to adhere to prohibition notices or breaches of regulations regarding HMOs. In some cases, landlords were penalised in court for harassment or for illegally evicting tenants.
Some councils have argued that civil penalties, as well as formal warnings, have been sufficient in maintaining landlord compliance, Public Interest Lawyers says.
Beverley Faulkner, Housing Disrepair Specialist at legal firm JF Law, says: “The local authority being unable or unwilling to take action against a landlord could leave a renter feeling like justice has not been done.
“However, they could seek a fair outcome through a civil claim. If negligence by a landlord causes someone to suffer harm, for example through illness caused by damp and mould, they could make a personal injury claim.”
The key problem councils face here is ultimately a lack of resources.”
Tom Darling, Director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, says: “These are worrying findings. The key problem councils face here is ultimately a lack of resources, after years of rising costs and shrinking budgets.
“We’ve called on the government to provide local authorities – who will have the crucial role of enforcing the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill – with the additional funding and guidance they need to protect renters from rogue landlords.”
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