News / Bristol
Bristol’s rogue landlords could face fines of up to £30,000
Landlords who force tenants to live in dangerous or substandard conditions will now face fines of up to £30,000.
Bristol City Council is clamping down on rogue providers and agents in the private rental sector, using new powers granted under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 which came into force in April 2017.
It says the pro-active approach will not only protect tenants and act as a deterrent against so-called ‘slum landlords’, but also level the playing field for compliant housing providers that have previously been tarnished by the bad.
is needed now More than ever
Paul Smith says there is a lot of pressure from good landlords to clamp down on bad
Cabinet member for housing Paul Smith revealed that 29 per cent of all accommodation in Bristol is now in the private rental sector – amounting to almost 60,000 homes – making it bigger than the council housing stock by two to one.
Welcoming the new powers at a meeting in City Hall on Tuesday, he said: “It’s absolutely essential that we have good quality homes and good quality management of that housing.
“There is a lot of pressure from those that manage their stock well and provide good services to their tenants and keep stock in good condition to clamp down on those who don’t. This is the first of a number of reports looking at how we can use more of the powers we have got.
“There will be a report looking at how we can extend licensing to homes with smaller occupation.”
In May, Bristol24/7 reported on an investigation that highlighted the “dangerous minority” of landlords that are preying on some of the city’s most vulnerable tenants and forcing them to live in disgusting conditions.
The state of an Alternative Housing property. Photo from Bristol City Council.
The council will now be able to serve civil penalty notice up to a maximum of £30,000 – bypassing the court process – when it can prove beyond reasonable doubt breach of license conditions.
It can also apply for rent repayment orders, whereby a tribunal can order landlords to repay up to 12 months’ worth of rent for offences that include using violence to secure entry, illegal eviction or harassment of occupants.
The level of penalty will reflect the extent to which the offender fell below the required standard.
An example of the conditions uncovered at an Alternative Housing Property. Photo: Bristol City Council.
Read more: ‘Dangerous minority’ of landlords preying on Bristol’s most vulnerable people
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