Inquiry into combatting rogue landlords announced

The inquiry will focus on the role of local authorities in the private rented sector (PRS) and whether they have sufficient powers to deal with ‘rogue landlords’.

The inquiry will also examine barriers to intervention in the PRS, whether landlord licensing schemes are actually achieving their goals and the effectiveness of complaint mechanisms for tenants.

Clive Betts MP, Chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee, said:

"With a big rise in the number of people renting over the last decade, there are real concerns about the ability of local authorities to protect tenants by tackling bad landlords and practices.

Our inquiry will examine how local authorities can carry out enforcement work to deal with rogue landlords as well as looking at approaches used by councils to provide private rented accommodation in their areas."

Have Your Say: Submit your evidence

The Committee is inviting written evidence in relation to the points below. The NLA will be submitting evidence in due course but is also urging landlords to make their own submissions that shed light on their individual experiences and problems, especially in regards to licensing schemes:
Do local authorities have the powers and capacity required to enforce standards in the private rented sector and deal with 'rogue landlords'?

• What are the main obstacles to effective intervention in the private rented sector?
• How effective are landlord licensing schemes in promoting higher quality accommodation?
• What approaches have local authorities taken to promote affordable private rented sector accommodation in their areas?
• How effective are complaint mechanisms for tenants in the private rented sector?

The closing date for submissions is Friday 24 November 2017 at midday and can be submitted here.

For more information, visit www.landlords.org.uk