From today, local authorities will have the power to fine landlords up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution for a range of housing offences.
Housing minister Gavin Barwell MP (pictured) said the government wanted local authorities to have the tools to crack down on rogue behaviour. Income generated from fines received will be used for private sector housing enforcement purposes.
Rent repayment orders, which can be issued to penalise landlords managing or letting unlicensed properties, have also been extended to cover a wider range of situations.
These include the illegal eviction or harassment of the occupiers of a property, using violence to secure entry and the breach of a banning order.
“These measures will give councils the additional powers they need to tackle poor-quality rental homes in their area,” said Barwell.
“By driving out of business those rogue landlords that continue to flout the rules, we can raise standards, improve affordability and give tenants the protections they need.”
Further measures introduced today include giving councils access to tenancy deposit protection data to help them identify rental properties in their area and tackle rogue landlords through targeted enforcement and prevention work.
