The housing charity Shelter has called on the Government to make good on its promises to tackle rogue landlords in the private rental housing sector. Renting is no longer stop gap between leaving home and getting your first foot on the property ladder, and as the prevalence of private renting increases for families more should be done to enforce the laws, to protect the tenant against the unscrupulous landlord.
Shelter says many families are living in dangerous conditions and it wants the Government to give them greater protection. With 1.7 million people on social housing waiting lists it is clear that the gap in the market being filled by sub standard private accommodation needs.
86 thousand tenants in England complained about accommodation rented from private landlords last year, with local councils reporting 1477 giving repeated cause for concern.
Shelter provides a five point plan for Grant Shapps and local authorities to implement in order to tackle landlords who persistently break the law:
• Tougher sentencing for criminal landlords: increasing the maximum penalty for ignoring a court order to improve conditions from £5,000 to £20,000.
• A rogue landlord prosecution fund: earmarking money to help councils get tough on landlords blighting their area
• New protection for brave tenants: safeguard tenants from being evicted in retaliation for whistleblowing.
• An online landlord conviction database: a new website listing all convicted landlords to help tenants avoid criminal landlords.
• A rogue landlord summit convened by the Housing Minister to create a clear action plan to protect tenants.
Private Landlord and Tenant News
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