Stretched local authorities will struggle to enforce the ruyles and regulations coming down the line from Labour’s renting reforms, it has been claimed.

This includes policing the looming decent homes standard, tackling dangerous damp and mould and developing a new database of privately rented housing.

Freedom of Information data featured within the report from the National Residential Lanldords Association (NRLA) reveals that less than half of all fines levied against rogue landlords in England were collected between 2021 and 2023. Over the same period, 49% of English councils failed to issue even a single fine against a rogue landlord.

Emergency bailouts

Also, the increased demands on their resources come as one in four councils in England says they are likely to have to apply for emergency Government bailouts to stave off bankruptcy.

It is why the NRLA is warning that councils will struggle to enforce the RRB and tackle the minority of landlords bringing the sector into disrepute.

To address this, the NRLA is calling for:

• The Government to publish a full assessment of the resources local authority enforcement teams currently have, and what they will need to enforce the Renters’ Rights Bill.
• Councils to be required to publish an annual report on enforcement activity in the PRS.
• Measures to prevent duplication of efforts between the planned database of private sector landlords and properties and local landlord licensing schemes.
• The development of a new national post of Chief Environmental Health Officer to champion better enforcement.

Tarnished

Ben Beadle (main image), Chief Executive of the NRLA, says: “For too long the vast majority of decent, responsible landlords have been tarnished by the actions of a minority of rogue operators failing to provide good enough housing.

“If planned reforms are to work, councils need to up their game at finding and rooting out those who have no place renting property out and making it easier for the law-abiding majority providing decent and safe homes.

“Our report today suggests local authorities will struggle to enforce much of what is in the Renters’ Rights Bill. Without further action, the only winners from all this will be the minority of unscrupulous landlords.”