Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Rules aim to tackle rogue landlords
POWERS GRANTED TO COUNCILS ON ROOM SIZES AND TENANT NUMBERS
TOUGH new powers have been granted to councils by Parliament to crack down on rogue landlords overcrowded properties.
A vote in the House of Commons on Thursday March 15 gave councils the power to set minimum bedroom size standards, and limit how many people can live in each bedroom of a house of multiple occupancy.
Landlords who defy the rules, to be introduced in October, can be fined up to £30,000 by the council.
Some local authorities will even be able to impose tougher requirements to address specific local needs.
The legislation was passed a month after a law requiring landlords to obtain a license for single and double storey multiple occupancy properties, affecting an estimated 160,000 across the country.
The government hopes the legislation will help make sure tenants have the space they need, as well as the health and safety risks of sharing cooking and washing facilities with too many people.
Existing landlords will be given up to 18 months to comply with the new rules before seeking re-licensing when theirs expires.
In addition landlords will have to provide “adequate waste storage” facilities in line with the local authority’s rules, in order to prevent large piles of rubbish outside properties, which can pose a health and safety risk to the neighbourhood.
The government is also implementing a new public database for rogue landlords next month, as well as banning orders for some of the worst offenders.
Housing Minister Heather Wheeler said:“Everyone deserves a decent and safe place to live. But some tenants are being exploited by a minority of unscrupulous landlords who profit from renting out cramped and sometimes squalid or dangerous properties.
“Today’s measures will mean landlords must provide adequate space for their tenants or face a hefty fine.
“It is part of a raft of new powers for councils to crack down on rogue landlords and comprehensive action we are taking to improve conditions for private tenants.”