FINES of up to £30,000 will be handed to bad landlords and will be forced to repay all rent to their tenants as part of a new prompter penalties introduced by Hackney Council today.
The new fines will be applied to landlords and agents who do not meet licensing conditions or letting overcrowded properties. Criminal prosecution will also be on the plate for the worse offenders. The penalties and rent repayment will mean that the council can immediately help its tenants that are facing serious problems. This campaign is part of the Better Renting Campaign held by the Council’s. This will allow improving the standards for private renters and ending excessive letting fees and charges. People, who rent homes in Hackney at an average of £2000, need their homes to be safer and well maintained by their landlords. “Whether it’s bolstering our enforcement powers, campaigning for more action from the Government or simply giving advice, we’re determined to get renters in Hackney a better deal. Cllr Sem Moema, Mayoral Advisor for Private Renting and Housing Affordability”. The rent levels have risen by 20% over the last 5 year with more than 34,000 homes which are rented privately. Many of the private renters say their repairs are usually not done when it is needed. Independent research commissioned as part of the Council’s Better Renting campaign revealed that more than one in five Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) contained serious hazards or are in disrepair – over 10% higher than other privately rented properties.
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The Council is also looking to introduce licensing proposals to help change this, including:
- A borough-wide additional licensing scheme meaning all HMOs – not just the 16% covered under the current mandatory licensing scheme – would need to be licensed
- A selective licensing scheme meaning all privately rented non-HMO homes in the three wards most affected by poor conditions – Brownswood, Cazenove and Stoke Newington – would need to be licensed