04.11.19
£4m to help councils tackle criminal landlords
The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced today (Nov 4th) that new funding will safeguard good landlords so they can prosper, helping councils progress new ways to recognize and stamp out poor landlords.
The initiative comes on the back of last year’s £2 million of funding, which was shared across 56 projects and supported over a million tenants. 100 councils were reaching which together are home to over a million households living in the private rental sector. This year the funding has been doubled, meaning more tenants and landlords will receive help across the country.
Even though the vast majority of landlords provide quality homes for their tenants, a small minority continue to break the law and offer unsafe housing, leaving young families and vulnerable people feeling trapped.
The funding will also allow landlords who obey the law and provide good service to tenants to thrive. Additionally, hard-working tenants renting privately get the homes they deserve, ensuring that those who follow the rules are not treated unfairly and create a housing market that works for everyone.
Local authorities have been given strong powers to allow them to force landlords to make necessary improvements to a property. They can use a range of measures, including fines and banning orders, to tackle criminal landlords.
For example, last year Burnley received over £60,000 to carry out inspections of rented homes in the area, allowing them to reach vulnerable tenants who are less likely to report a problem to their council.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “It’s unacceptable that a small minority of unscrupulous landlords appear to be breaking the law and providing homes which fall short of the standards that tenants rightly expect.
“Everyone deserves to live in a home that is safe and secure, and the funding announced today will help to further strengthen councils’ powers to crack down on criminal landlords and drive up standards in the private rented sector.”