A dozen landlords in Waltham Forest, north east London, have been prosecuted and fined a total of £60,000 after failing to obtain a licence, as part of the borough’s compulsory rental property licensing scheme.
Court action was taken following a crackdown by Waltham Forest council, which led to 12 prosecutions of landlords who have failed to obtain a licence, with some ordered to pay fines of in excess of £10,000.
The council launched its Private Rented Property Licensing scheme (PRPL) in March 2015, in a bid to improve local housing standards and reduce anti-social behaviour.
Under the terms of the initiative, landlords with homes in the borough are also required to have a separate licence for each property they let out.
Cabinet member for housing, Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, said: “Landlords have now had ample time to apply for their licence, so there is simply no excuse to not have one in place by now.
“Any landlord who thinks they can avoid it needs to think again, as they could soon receive a visit from us and end up in court.
“We are determined to ensure that every privately rented property in the borough obtains a licence.”
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