Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Mortgage Strategy. Read the original article for full details.

Councils Collect Only a Quarter of Fines from Rogue Landlords

Councils across England are failing to collect most fines issued to rogue and criminal landlords, according to data from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). This is despite an increase in property inspections by local authorities.

The NRLA obtained statistics under the Freedom of Information Act showing that the number of inspections under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) rose from 85,326 in 2021/22 and 2022/23 to 91,620 between 2023/24 and 2024/25. However, previously released data indicates that councils are collecting only a quarter of the total fines issued to landlords for housing offences.

According to the NRLA, between 2023/24 and 2024/25, 285 English councils reported issuing almost £30 million in fines to private landlords. Of this, only about £7.5 million has actually been collected.

The findings come as the cross-party Housing Select Committee has recently warned that the Government needs to do more to hold councils accountable for tackling rogue and criminal landlords. The committee highlighted concerns about the impact of these landlords on the reputation of the wider sector.

For letting agents and inventory clerks, these figures highlight ongoing enforcement challenges in the private rented sector. The low collection rate of fines may affect the effectiveness of local authority action against non-compliant landlords, with potential implications for property standards and compliance monitoring.