Licensing needed to curb slum lets

Tenants demand better protection from criminal landlords

CAMPAIGNERS for tenant rights are calling for a national register of private landlords to combat slum lettings and so called “beds-in-sheds”.

Barely 7% of privately rented homes in England are currently covered by selective licensing schemes for landlords, because local authorities don’t have to set them up.

In contrast, such schemes, which mean landlords are regulated more closely, are run throughout Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“Existing licensing schemes have a clear track record of helping councils to identify unsafe homes and bring them up to standard, but the vast majority of private renters are not protected by them,” said Alicia Kennedy, director of pressure group Generation Rent.

“Nationwide landlord registration would give enforcement authorities valuable intelligence about this sector, make it easier to inform tenants of their rights, and prevent criminals from renting out homes.”

Anna Powell-Smith of research group Centre for Public Data said it was remarkable not all landlords had to be licensed “given how dangerous it is to live in a property with faulty wiring, boilers or mould”.

She added: “A patchwork of schemes will never give renters the protection they need, and are an inefficient use of council resources. A national register will be cheaper to run and more effective in raising standards.” The proof is in the figures. In the last year English councils with selective licencing schemes took action on more than 5,000 homes with serious health hazards – an average of 158 per council.

Councils without the schemes identified just 63 unsafe homes each on average.

Massive confiscation orders have been secured against three slum landlords by Ealing Council in West London.

In one case, husband and wife Kartar and Surinder Khosa failed “to follow simple planning regulations”.

The couple were served an enforcement notice by the council when it was discovered they had no planning permission to use a property as a House in Multiple Occupancy.

Necessary remedial work was not carried out and after being prosecuted the case went to Isleworth Crown Court for a confiscation hearing.

That resulted in the couple being ordered to pay £253,449 by December 3, with a default prison sentence of 30 months for Mr Khosa, 66, and 15 months for Mrs Khosa, 65, if they fail to do so. They were also each fined £6,000 and must pay court costs of £25,250.

In a second Ealing case, beds-in-sheds landlord Anja Bawa built a cramped outbuilding without planning permission and ignored an enforcement notice banning her letting it. She was hit with penalties of almost £275,000 in fines, costs and a confiscation order.

Councillor Joanna Camadoo-Rothwell, Ealing’s lead member for community safety and inclusion, explained: “Property licensing is one of the best tools available to us to ensure safer and better conditions in private rented homes.”

‘‘

Property licensing ensures safer and better living conditions