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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

New powers will make it ‘quicker and easier’ to tackle rogue landlords

Hefty fines could soon be issued to rogue landlords in Bradford without being taken to court, under plans due to be approved by Bradford Council today.

If the proposals are approved by the council’s decision making executive later today, landlords could face fines of up to £30,000 for various offences, including illegal evictions and failure to meet licensing conditions, without the need to go through the magistrates court system, with the worst offenders facing criminal prosecution, in accordance with the rules set out as part of the government’s Housing and Planning Act 2016.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, executive member for regeneration, said: “We welcome this new legislation and the new powers we have which means we can impose civil penalties as an alternative to prosecution. This means it will be quicker and easier to take action against bad landlords.

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“The importance of the private rented sector in the district has grown significantly from 11% of housing in 2007 to 18% in 2015 and this is where problems tend to occur. We need to address these as everyone has the right to a decent home.”

The new proposals also include rent repayment orders, meaning tenants could be recompensed by the property tribunal for money paid while they were living in sub-standard housing.

“Six months on from changes to the Housing and Planning Act being introduced, we’re finally starting to see local councils getting their act together and making the necessary amendments to their housing enforcement strategies,” Gavin Dick, policy Officer at the National Landlords Association, told the Telegraph & Argus.

“However,” he added, “these changes will mean nothing unless Bradford Council adopts a proactive approach to enforce against the very worst rogue and criminal landlords who make some tenants’ lives a misery, and give the rest of the law-abiding landlord community a bad name.”

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    Strange how we never see articles saying 'New Powers will make it quicker and easier to tackle rogue tenants.'

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    • 07 November 2017 09:47 AM

    You are overlooking the fact that we landlords are seen as pure evil , pestilent and noxious creatures of the night. Remember that we landlords are hated by the government and by the public. And tenants are the oppressed, tyrannised and down trodden. Keep this imagery in your head and all policy becomes clear.

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    More anti- Private LL Regulations + Rent Re- payment Orders indeed. Why did the Tenant rent the property if it’s in bad repair, or did they Cause disrepair & will now get their money back from the Tribunal. I can see plenty heading there. I would never again go to a Tribunal but we are not going to have a choice we are going to be dragged in anyway

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    • 16 August 2019 22:29 PM

    Where properties are prone to disrepair mostly caused by tenants on benefits it will be worthwhile LL getting rid of such properties.
    It is usually the case that such properties are occupied by those tenants in receipt of benefits.
    It therefore makes sound business sense for LL to offload these benefit rental properties.
    It seems highly unlikely that in the event of any 'issues' with these type of properties that the LL will be seen as the wronged party.
    That being the case why would LL wish to bother anymore with such low grade properties on the basis that fines could easily bankrupt them.
    Just isn't worth the risk.
    I predict that LL will start dumping the HB type properties.
    Retaining them now makes little logical business sense.
    Of course this means that those benefit dependent tenants will struggle to source alternative rental accommodation as LL exit the low grade market.
    Not the LL problem!!
    Over to Councils and Govt to house such now homeless tenants.
    I do wonder if perhaps us LL need more robust inspection processes.
    Now thinking about this I believe it would not be unreasonable to ask that tenants video the property on their mobiles monthly inside and out and send to the LL.
    It would be like a monthly inventory and there would be no doubt as to the ongoing property conditions.
    I cannot see that such a requirement wouldn't be effective for both parties.
    Tenants would have an audiovisual record of property condition as would the LL.

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    Agreed, generally it is the tenants that cause the problems to these properties , HMOs and the associated type of tenants they draw are bad news and the problems are only going to get worse, so leave these type of tenants to the local council to house, their problem, not ours.

     
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