Local authorities are carrying out more inspections of private rented homes but continue to recover only a fraction of the fines issued to rogue landlords, according to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
Freedom of Information data obtained by the NRLA shows the number of inspections carried out under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) rose from 85,326 in 2021/22 and 2022/23 to 91,620 across 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Despite the increase in enforcement activity, the NRLA said councils are collecting only around a quarter of the financial penalties they impose on landlords for housing offences.
Earlier data published by the association found that 285 English councils issued almost £30m in fines between 2023/24 and 2024/25, but recovered only around £7.5m.
The figures come after the cross-party Housing Select Committee called on the government to strengthen oversight of local authority enforcement against rogue landlords. The committee also backed the NRLA’s proposal for councils to publish annual reports detailing their private rented sector enforcement activity.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), said: “Whilst an increase in property inspections suggests more proactive enforcement, councils are failing to collect the money they should from those flouting their obligations.
“Under a system in which the polluter should be paying, it is those responsible landlords being clobbered with licensing and other fees who are having to cover the costs of rooting out the rogue and criminal minority. This is not sustainable and undermines the confidence of those landlords who we want to keep in the market.
“Councils must publish annual reports ensuring transparency about the money they receive from licensing and other such schemes, and how that it translates to better enforcement. By not taking this step, both tenants and good faith landlords seeking to do the right thing will continue to be let down by a failing system.”
