Tenants at risk from government’s ‘chronic failure to tackle rogue landlords’

The Government needs to address a chronic failure to tackle rogue landlords who put tenants at risk, says the national body representing landlords.

With the Government pledged to publish a White Paper setting out proposed reforms for the private rented sector (PRS) in England, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) is warning that every measure in it will fail without robust action to root out rogue and criminal landlords.

As it today publishes its own shadow white paper for the sector, the NRLA points to figures previously cited by the Government which show that just 43 landlords are currently listed on the database of rogue landlords in England. This is despite Ministers’ previous suggestion that up to 10,500 rogue landlords may be operating in the PRS.

Previous research by the NRLA reveals that the number of statutory provisions applying to England has risen by 40 per cent over the last decade to 168 pieces of legislation. These conclusions demonstrate that local authorities’ inability to enforce existing legislation, as opposed to a lack of powers, is the key problem in this area.

Figures released by Unchecked UK suggest that between 2009 and 2019 the amount spent on Local Authority Environmental Health Officers in England and Wales fell by around a third.

The NRLA is calling on the Government to conduct a full assessment of the ability of councils to enforce the wide range of powers already available to tackle rogue and criminal landlords. However, central government needs to provide upfront, multi-year funding to help local authorities to build the capacity to tackle bad practice.

The proposals are among a number being put forward by the NRLA as the Government develops its plans for the sector, including the ending of Section 21, so called ‘no fault’ repossessions.

In calling for changes that work for both responsible landlords and tenants, the NRLA is proposing a system that provides a set of clear and comprehensive rights for landlords. This would give landlords the ability to take back possession of properties but would balance these additional rights with robust protections for tenants.

In addition, it is calling for a new landlord/tenant dispute body, similar to the employment body ACAS, to enable landlords and tenants to reach agreement without the need to go to court. Where cases do end up in court they must be dealt with more efficiently, making use of video technology wherever possible. At present it can take around a year for a legitimate repossession claim to reach a conclusion.

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said:

“We need to address the chronic failure to take action against rogue and criminal landlords. It puts tenants at risk and undermines the reputation of the overwhelming majority of landlords who play by the rules. As Ministers develop their plans for the sector, they need to be clear whether any of what they propose will be properly enforced.

“More broadly, it is vital that the forthcoming White Paper strikes a fair balance between the needs of both tenants and landlords. It is in that spirit that we continue to work with the Government and others to develop workable policies that protect tenants from bad landlords whilst ensuring good landlords have the confidence to provide the homes to rent the country desperately needs.”

The NRLA’s Shadow White Paper can be accessed here.

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17 Comments

  1. AcornsRNuts

    Again the NRLA attack landlords. There are more rogue tenants than there are rogue landlords, but you wouldn’t know it listening to Ben Beadle.

    Older landlords may well be excused for being reminded of a television programme. It was called, “Watch out! Beadle’s about.”

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    1. smile please

      Agreed far worse number of tenants than landlords.

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  2. Landlordinsider

    High time the lack of enforcement was given coverage in full recognition that most landlords do a good job. propertyMark and others should get behind these ideas – first  move advantage on notice periods is a gd move by NRla.

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  3. PossessionFriendUK39

    National Residential  TENANTS Association  !   at it again.

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    1. A W

      Sums it up perfectly. They take memebership fees from landlords and use them to lobby agaist them… pretty savvy business plan.

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  4. Woodentop

    It would be interesting to compare England with the devolved governments in the UK who have licenced PRS and see if it worked at reducing the number of rogue landlords. My experience of many rogues landlords is that they are doing their own thing, as and when it pleases them and either not have a clue what they should be doing or at worst … don’t give a stuff.

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  5. Ian Narbeth

    Ben Beadle and the NRLA’s naïveté is worrying. Do they not realise that any steps the Government takes in response to this call to action will, 100% guaranteed, hurt “the overwhelming majority of landlords who play by the rules”? That has been the pattern of the last 10 years and will not change. Local authorities who enforce the rules take the line of least resistance and go for the low hanging fruit of landlords who commit a technical infringement of one of a bewildering array of rules. I suspect that there is also a reluctance to pursue landlords of, how shall we put it delicately, non-British heritage. From the case reports I suspect they are disproportionately represented in the rogues’ gallery (Can’t see Shelter or a university wanting to research that proposition and disprove my thesis!). There are about 2 1/4 million PRS landlords in the UK. Even if the Minister is right that “up to 10,500 rogue landlords may be operating in the PRS” that is fewer than 1 in 200 (under half of one percent). So, 99 1/2 per cent are not labelled as rogues but will face increased costs, stress and harassment. When the largest landlord representative body asks that landlords be given a further damn good kicking, the Government will not be slow to respond.

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    1. AcornsRNuts

      Using that percentage of less than half of one percent, it would seem there are more rogue MPs than landlords, percentage-wise.

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  6. northernlandlord

    I used to be a member of the NRLA but gave it up as it did not seem effective at representing its members .It was more concerned that landlords should concentrate on “delighting  tenants” rather than sticking up for its own members. Every time a new bit of Landlord bashing legislation comes along they just roll over and accept it.
    They should be telling the Government in no uncertain terms that the unintended consequences of  pretty much everything being proposed  for the PRS will result in a reduction in the number of PRS properties available and contribute to the housing crisis. I thought they were a pressure group to look after landlords but they are not. There is no fight in them at all.

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    1. PossessionFriendUK39

      Exactly  !

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  7. PossessionFriendUK39

    Is anyone else finding the  ‘Thumbs Up  and Down buttons  not registering  ?

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    1. smile please

      Yes for a number of weeks now.

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      1. PossessionFriendUK39

        I have just emailed  P.I.E   –  has anyone else reported this  ?

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    2. A W

      I apologise, I just thumbs downed you to test but it appears to have worked fine for me.

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      1. Nick Salmon, M.D. Property Industry Eye

        If thumbs up or down stops working for you then clear the cache and cookies for Property Industry Eye in your browser. They should then work again.

        We have only had one recent report of the issue so it is not widespread.

         

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  8. Robert_May

    Rogues will rogue!

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    1. A W

      Considering the plethora of powers out there for local authorities and indeed trading standards…. they dont really need anymore.

      A quick run down of stats:

       

      1. Article suggests up to 10,500 rouge landlords

      2. Roughly around 2,580,000 landlords in the UK in 2019

       

      So we are talking about roughly 0.4% of of the landlord population and for that the NRLA want “more robust action”! What a farce this is!

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