Posts with tag: rogue landlords

Birmingham Landlord Fined £10,000 for HMO Breaches

Published On: October 22, 2015 at 4:26 pm

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,

Birmingham Landlord Fined £10,000 for HMO Breaches

Birmingham Landlord Fined £10,000 for HMO Breaches

A landlord in Birmingham has been fined £6,400 and ordered to pay costs of £3,696 and a £120 victim surcharge for failing to license his House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and breaching HMO regulations.

Ayoub Yakoob, 38, from Morden, Surrey, pleaded guilty to failing to obtain an HMO license and to nine breaches of HMO regulations at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.

His letting agent, Mohammed Shehzad, also known as Ashsard Khan, was fined £450 and charged £150 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge after he admitted to nine breaches of the HMO management regulations.

Birmingham City Council officers were called to inspect the property, where they discovered that the fire alarm wasn’t working, the smoke detectors were missing, there were no notices detailing the escape route and there was a hole in the ceiling of the main escape route, which prevents it from being fire resistant. Furthermore, self-closing devices for the fire doors were faulty or missing.

In addition to the fire safety breaches, officers found that chimneybreasts had been removed and the chimney was not adequately supported. Walls were also left unplastered, rooms were covered in plaster dust, mould was growing in a bedroom, one of the bathrooms had been removed, the front door could not close and building rubble was left in the back yard.

Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Management and Homes at Birmingham City Council, Councillor John Cotton, comments: “The HMO license exists so that officers can carry out checks to ensure the safety of tenants. Failing to apply for the license meant that these checks were avoided for some time.

“Mr. Yakoob and Mr. Shehzad put their tenants’ lives at risk by failing to provide basic fire safety measures and their tenants were also forced to live in filthy and insecure accommodation.”1

1 https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2015/10/10k-bill-for-birmingham-hmo-landlord

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Homes Fit for Human Habitation Bill to be Discussed in New Year

Published On: October 20, 2015 at 12:45 pm

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,

A private member’s bill that would allow tenants to sue landlords if their home is not fit for human habitation will return to the House of Commons in the New Year.

New Homes Fit for Human Habitation Bill to be Discussed in New Year

New Homes Fit for Human Habitation Bill to be Discussed in New Year

Labour MP Karen Buck introduced the Homes (Fit for Human Habitation) Bill proposal, but moved the second reading on Friday (16th October 2015).

The bill will raise rent caps set in a law from 1885, which gives tenants the right to a suitable home, so long as their rent is not above the limits. At present, tenants have this right if they pay annual rent of £52 or £80 in London.

Buck addressed MPs: “If any hon members can find a property where the annual rent is less than £80, I am sure that millions of people across the country would be delighted to know where it is.

“Why is a change in the law necessary after all this time? Quite simply, renting is on the rise, dramatically so, especially in the private rented sector.

“As I have said, many landlords maintain their properties well and fulfil their obligations, yet the fact remains that standards in the private rented sector are poorer than those in owner-occupation.”1

A Conservative MP and landlord himself, Philip Davies, opposes the bill, saying that MPs wish to “impose on landlords as though they have nothing to do but wade through legislation”.

He continued: “It is unnecessary for the House to keep passing legislation that affects landlords, because there is already lots of legislation that makes it perfectly clear that homes should be fit for human habitation.

“When this House adds more and more regulations, it does not achieve anything for tenants, because there are already rules and regulations in place.

“All it does is pass on a huge burden to landlords who have to work out whether they are complying with the law today compared with what it was yesterday.”1

The debate was adjourned, but will continue on 29th January 2016.

Do you agree with the new bill? Or would this impose too much on landlords that already fulfil its notions?

1 http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/mp-accuses-commons-of-dreaming-up-unnecessary-legislation-for-landlords-to-wade-through/

MP Addresses Rogue Landlords in Receipt of Housing Benefit

Published On: October 20, 2015 at 9:20 am

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,,

MP Addresses Rogue Landlords in Receipt of Housing Benefit

MP Addresses Rogue Landlords in Receipt of Housing Benefit

A Conservative MP is to question the housing minister over the reasons rogue landlords are still able to receive housing benefit, even if their properties are in a bad condition.

The Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Private Rented Sector, Oliver Colvile, will raise the issue this week with Brandon Lewis.

He explains: “The Government needs to explain why so much taxpayers’ money is going to rogue landlords without proper accountability.”

He believes that if private landlords do take public money in the form of housing benefit, their properties should be to a high standard.

He suggests: “Allowing local authorities to issue on-the-spot fines to the worst landlords would help, because the revenue could be used for better enforcement.”1 

Do you rent out properties to housing benefit tenants? And do you think fines would help combat rogue landlords?

1 http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/housing-minister-to-be-asked-why-criminal-landlords-grow-rich-off-taxpayers-money/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Negligence towards rogue landlords-reports

Published On: October 19, 2015 at 12:01 pm

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,

The image of the private rental sector has been tarnished in this weekend’s press, with a number of reports on the alleged poor condition of homes to let.

Both The Guardian and The Independent published articles on a Citizens’ Advice Bureau survey which suggested that private landlords are raking in a cumulative total of £5.6bn per year in rent on homes that do not come up to required legal standards. Around one quarter of this sum is said to come from housing benefit payments.

At risk

Alarmingly, the Citizens’ Advice Bureau report suggests that as many as 740,000 families in the English private rental sector are currently living in homes that present a threat to occupants’ overall health and wellbeing.

In addition, The Times has reported on an investigation by charity group Shelter that suggests that number of people living in accommodation unfit for human habitation is larger than 250,000.

What’s more, the newspaper also reports than in excess of 25% of English councils have not prosecuted any landlords for providing inadequate accommodation during the last five years. A further half reportedly prosecuted less than two per year.

Negligence towards rogue landlords-reports

Negligence towards rogue landlords-reports

Failures

Figures in The Times report, sourced from the Residential Landlords’ Association and a Freedom of Information request, indicates that councils have prosecuted just 2,006 landlords during the last eight years. The average penalty was a fine of £1,5000.

David Smith of the RLA noted that, ‘tenants and good landlords are being let down. Councils have plenty of powers to enforce standards in private rented housing and tackle criminal landlords. It is sad that at best the record on enforcement is patchy and at worst, non-existent.’[1]

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis also added that, ‘the Government is determined to crack down on rogue landlords and the housing bill strengthens councils’ powers to tackle poor-quality privately rented homes in their area.’ He concluded by saying that, ‘our measures include blacklisting landlords who have been convicted of serious offences and seeking banning orders for the most prolific offenders.’[1]

[1] https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2015/10/surveys-highlight-councils-negligence-on-tackling-rogue-landlords

 

 

 

Local Authorities Don’t Do Enough to Tackle Rogue Landlords

Published On: October 19, 2015 at 10:59 am

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,

Over a quarter of local authorities in England have failed to prosecute any rogue landlords in the past five years and a further half have prosecuted less than two a year.

In total, just 2,006 criminal landlords have been convicted in the last five years, with an average fine of £1,500.

Local Authorities Don't Do Enough to Tackle Rogue Landlords

Local Authorities Don’t Do Enough to Tackle Rogue Landlords

The statistics were collected after a Freedom of Information request from the Residential Landlords Association (RLA).

Policy Director of the RLA, David Smith, comments: “Tenants and good landlords are being let down.

“Councils have plenty of powers to enforce standards in private rented housing and tackle criminal landlords. It is sad that at best the record on enforcement is patchy and at worst non-existent.”

The RLA is campaigning for councils to abolish landlord licensing schemes and use existing powers to tackle criminal landlords.

It notes that the new Housing and Planning Bill, which will introduce a register of rogue landlords and letting agents, will boost these powers, as well as implementing a legal measure to ban criminal landlords and agents from the industry.

The RLA believes that the bill will make licensing schemes unnecessary, as councils will be able to request information about tenure and landlords on Council Tax forms.

Smith adds: “The Housing Bill makes clear that landlord licensing schemes are not needed and serve only as a money raising exercise by councils.

“Local authorities now have serious questions to answer. Why are they charging good landlords when they can collect the information they need to drive out criminal landlords using Council Tax registration forms for free.”1

Citizens Advice reports that criminal landlords are cheating the benefits system.

Chief Executive Gillian Guy says: “Dodgy landlords make as much as £5.6m a year from renting out homes that don’t meet legal standards and £1.3 billion of this bill is picked up by the state in the form of housing benefit.

“Tenants are having to pay soaring rents despite severe damp, rat infestations and even the risk of explosions.”1

Housing charity Shelter claims that around half a million private rental homes are in a bad condition, including damp, mould, electrical hazards and infestations.

Campbell Robb, Shelter’s Chief Executive, insists: “The Government must do more to protect renters from the rogue landlords who let out these shoddy properties, so that every renter can feel safe in their own home.”1 

1 http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/local-councils-slammed-for-not-going-after-criminal-landlords/

 

Rogue Landlords to be Banned Under the Housing Bill

Published On: October 15, 2015 at 1:24 pm

Author:

Categories: Landlord News

Tags: ,,

Rogue Landlords to be Banned Under the Housing Bill

Rogue Landlords to be Banned Under the Housing Bill

Rogue landlords and letting agents will be banned from renting out property under new rules to be enforced through the Housing and Planning Bill.

The law was introduced to Parliament on Tuesday (13th October 2015) by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Greg Clark.

The part of the bill concerning rogue landlords and agents permits a banning order to be served if a landlord or agent has been convicted of a banning order offence. It also demands a database of rogue landlords and agents to be formed.

The bill also allows a rent repayment order to be issued against a landlord that has breached a banning order.

Director of flat and house share website SpareRoom.co.uk, Matt Hutchinson, states: “The booming rental market has a small but worrying dark side – the rise of unscrupulous landlords and agents who seek to prey on tenants. Getting them out of the market should be a top priority.

“A database of rogue landlords and agents could be a vital tool as long as the information it contains is accurate and accessible to those who need it most.

“But we should be wary of piling lots of extra legislation on the sector. The need to clamp down on the unscrupulous shouldn’t hinder the vast majority of landlords who do play by the rules and provide the rental accommodation Britain desperately needs.”1

1 https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2015/10/housing-bill-rogue-landlords-to-be-banned