Over half of councils in England and Wales have taken no court action against bad landlords in five years, Public Interest Lawyers research shows.
Councils make one prosecution for every 335 complaints from concerned tenants, suggesting that only the very worst are prosecuted.
Since the introduction of The Housing and Planning Act 2016, local authorities have had the ability to issue a civil penalty of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution.
Some councils have argued that these penalties, as well as formal warnings, have been sufficient in maintaining landlord compliance.
However, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) learned earlier this year that less than half of the fines issued against rogue landlords between 2021 and 2023 had been collected.
The Act also does not prevent councils from penalising rogue landlords through the courts.
Tom Darling, director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “These are worrying findings.
“The key problem councils face here is ultimately a lack of resources, after years of rising costs and shrinking budgets.
“We’ve called on the government to provide local authorities – who will have the crucial role of enforcing the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill – with the additional funding and guidance they need to protect renters from rogue landlords.”
Leeds City Council confirmed that it carried out 99 criminal prosecutions in five years, including a whopping 43 in 2021/22.
