In another sign that local authorities are taking an increasingly tough approach to rogue landlords, one council has warned dodgy property owners that they won’t get away with ripping off tenants.
Housing bosses at Leeds City Council said this week that those who let out dangerous or run-down properties will be hauled before the courts.
Since 2006, officials have successfully brought 176 prosecutions against unscrupulous landlords and officers said they would continue to take court action when necessary.
Councillor Peter Gruen, from Leeds City Council, told the Yorkshire Evening Post that the council was taking a more co-ordinated approach to root out those who are not meeting their responsibilities.
“We have been targeting rogue landlords for some years, but it’s more systematic now than it used to be,” he said.
“People who are part of a regulated, accredited system are good landlords, but the ones who are not can cause absolute mayhem for their tenants.
“They are taking money and don’t do the basic improvements, don’t adhere to the basic responsibilities on health and safety, don’t do repairs. It’s a pretty grotty way of behaving.”
The inspection of dozens of rented properties across the city uncovered problems ranging from overcrowding to electrical hazards.
The crackdown in Yorkshire is one of several initiatives running nationwide.
Elsewhere, Croydon Council recently unveiled plans to take tougher action against landlords who break the law, arguing that a small minority could cause a major headache for tenants and the authorities alike.
And Boston Borough Council, in Lincolnshire, has taken advantage of a £109,000 government grant to get its Rogue Landlord Project off the ground. Since then 171 notices to make improvements have been issued.