AN investigation looking at records up to and including 2023/24, by Public Interest Lawyers discovered that almost half of all councils did not take any landlord to court across the past half a decade.
Thurrock council received 2,755 complaints over substandard homes but has only prosecuted 16 landlords. While the borough had the most complaints in Essex, it also had the highest number of prosecutions. Braintree and Brentwood were among Essex councils with zero prosecutions.
Mark Hooper, councillor responsible for health and wellbeing, said: “Good quality housing is a basic need that everyone deserves, which is why Thurrock Council is working really hard to ensure all renters in the borough can live in warm, dry and safe homes, whether that is in our own council properties, other social rent homes, or in the private sector.
“We’re proud to have one of the highest prosecution rates in the country. Many landlords in the borough provide an excellent service to their tenants, but it’s essential that those who don’t feel the full force of the law. My message to landlords who exploit local renters, is that the council will track you down, and won’t hesitate to take action.”
The borough is proposing to introduced a selective licensing scheme designed to target rogue landlords in problem areas. Landlords are at risk of losing their licence if they fail to keep properties up to standard.
A Freedom of Information Act request during the investigation to all councils found that, of those who responded, almost two-thirds have prosecuted a maximum of one landlord in five years, despite councils receiving close to half a million complaints or service requests from tenants.
While some councils have argued that other enforcement measures have proved adequate, the Renters’ Rights Coalition has described the findings as “worrying’.
For more information, visit https://www.publicinterestlawyers.co.uk/statistics-and-research-on-landlord-prosecutions-in-britain
