Just 39 agents and landlords have received a government banning order since new powers were introduced three years ago.
Laws introduced in April 2018 enabled local authorities to issue banning orders to rogue agents and landlords. Those handed a ban are prevented from renting out properties, engaging in property management or letting agency work.
Banning orders can be handed out for more than 40 separate offences, including including unlawful eviction or harassment, using or threatening violence to gain entry into a premises, non-compliance with fire safety regulations, improvement notices and a range of other regulations.
However, since the new law was introduced, only a small number of people have been placed on the database, according to data obtained by the Guardian thanks to a freedom of information request to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government .
Before the database was launched, the government claimed that 10,500 unscrupulous landlords were operating in England and that it expected more than 600 of the worst offenders would make it on to the database. Only 39 entries from 25 local authorities have been made so far.
“We need real action to tackle the housing crisis, crack down on bad practices and support councils to build truly affordable homes,” said shadow secretary of state for housing Thangam Debbonaire. “The [government] should follow the example set by Sadiq Khan, who publishes data on dodgy landlords in London, and make the names public so we can all see who they are.”
The data ‘illustrates the problem with scattershot enforcement’, according to housing lawyer David Smith.
“As I [and others] warned the rise of civil penalties has seen a collapse of prospection and therefore a lack of banning orders,” he said.
On Thursday 1st April ITV news investigators said, and this is a quote from ITV: “families across the UK are being forced to live in damp, dangerous and mould-infested council flats with little chance of escape.
After reporting on the serious conditions in a tower block in Croydon, described by several housing experts as the worst they had ever seen, ITV was inundated with examples of damage and disrepair in properties from around the country.”
If Government is serious about improving standards it should sort its own house out first of all.
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The govt do not manage homes the LA’s do that
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The only thing the government, whichever colour, manage to do successfully is create life peers costing us £300+ per day!
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