If you’ve ever rented a property, chances are you’ve a horror story or two up your sleeve. I remember the north London flat with mushrooms growing in the shower. Then there was the house in the south of the city with mildew on the bathroom walls. And the landlord who refused to return my deposit because I had a cat – despite telling me months earlier that pets were no problem.
So I welcome the news that local authorities are to be given powers to crack down on rogue landlords who shirk their responsibilities. Under government rules, which came into force yesterday, landlords who commit a range of housing offences could be subject to fines of up to £30,000 (as an alternative to prosecution). Housing Minister Gavin Barwell says that councils will be able to keep this money, and use it for private sector housing enforcement.
The list of offences include failure to comply with a housing improvement or overcrowding notice; failure to have the correct licence for a property that needs a mandatory HMO (houses in multiple occupation), additional or selective licence; and failure to comply with the HMO management regulations.
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