A council in London claims new measures have been put into place to ensure rogue landlords face stricter penalties.

Haringey council says its Civil Penalty Notice (CPN) policy has been revised to establish “an updated and comprehensive framework for issuing financial penalties under the Housing Act 2004.”

The updated policy introduces increased fines for landlords who fail to comply with housing regulations, with penalties reaching up to £30,000 per offence. 

A statement from the council says this step its commitment “to tackling unlawful landlord practices and safeguarding tenants’ rights.”

In addition, the council says it intends to foster an environment where it becomes clear that operating unlawfully as a landlord is far less profitable than adhering to regulations. The updated penalty structure sets higher starting fines according to how serious the offence is.

For example, failing to comply with an Improvement Notice could cost landlords £22,500, while not licensing a House in Multiple Occupation starts at £17,500. 

A spokesperson for the council says: “This policy change demonstrates our commitment to holding landlords accountable and ensuring all residents in Haringey have access to safe, high-quality housing.

“By increasing penalties and streamlining our enforcement strategy, we are sending a strong message – breaking the law will have serious consequences and we will simply not tolerate it.

“We remain committed to supporting our good landlords whilst also cracking down on illegal landlord practices and raising housing standards across the borough.”