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Councils Collect Only 25% of Fines Issued to Landlords, NRLA Finds

English local authorities are collecting just a quarter of fines issued to landlords for housing offences, according to new data from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). This comes despite a 7% increase in property inspections under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

Freedom of Information Act requests revealed that councils conducted 91,620 HHSRS inspections between 2023/24 and 2024/25, up from 85,326 in the previous two-year period. However, of almost £30 million in fines issued to private landlords by 285 English councils during this time, only £7.5 million has been collected.

The NRLA has highlighted that low collection rates have implications for the rental market’s enforcement framework. Compliant landlords are bearing the costs of licensing schemes intended to fund enforcement action, while non-compliant landlords are not paying the fines issued to them.

The NRLA has called for all councils to publish annual reports detailing income from licensing schemes and enforcement outcomes. This recommendation has been supported by the cross-party Housing Select Committee, which has warned that the Government needs to do more to hold councils accountable for tackling rogue landlords. The committee’s report also raised concerns that the actions of a minority of non-compliant landlords are affecting the reputation of the wider sector.

The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of the current enforcement framework and whether the polluter-pays principle is being properly applied in the private rental sector. These enforcement challenges add to broader operational difficulties facing the property market.