Why don’t councils bother to collect fines from landlords?

Rogue landlords across London are being let off the hook by councils appearing not to bother collecting fines. 

Analysis by the National Association of Residential Landlords shows that between 2023/24 and 2024/25, of the 32 councils in London that provided data, a total of almost £8.7m in civil penalties were imposed on private landlords for housing offences. 

Yet in spite of this, just a third of that amount (just under £3m) was actually collected.

Overall, almost just over 1,300 civil penalties were issued to landlords over the same period.

Five local authorities in London (the City of London Corporation, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon and Hammersmith & Fulham) had not issued any civil penalties to landlords between 2023 and 2025. 

The research is based on Freedom of Information requests sent to all English councils responsible for enforcement in the private rented sector.

The association says that with the Renters’ Rights Act due to come into force from May 1, the data shows that councils are failing to collect the funds they say they need to fund enforcement action. 

The Act will increase the maximum amount that can be levied in civil penalties from £7,000 to £40,000.

The NRLA is warning that without a major increase in funding for enforcement teams across London, rogue and criminal landlords will continue to slip through the net. 

Aside from leaving tenants exposed to poor practice, the NRLA says it is undermining the reputation of the vast majority of landlords who meet their responsibilities and provide good homes.

The NRLA is calling on the government to:

• champion better enforcement by establishing a new Chief Environmental Health Officer post which would have a national remit;

• undertake a full assessment of the resources local authority enforcement teams currently have, and will need, to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act.

• force councils to publish an annual report on enforcement activity related to the private rented sector in their area.

Association chief executive Ben Beadle says: “Tenants and the vast majority of responsible landlords across London will rightly be fed up with our findings.

“For too long a minority of rogue and criminal operators have been allowed to act with impunity, bringing the sector into disrepute. 

“It is galling then to see that those breaking the law are still failing to pay the price – leaving good landlords to pick up the tab in licensing fees.

“This also raises serious questions about how ready councils across the capital are to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act, and about the adequacy of the upfront funding provided to them to support enforcement action.”

This article is taken from Landlord Today