Municipalities are failing to collect fines imposed on rogue and criminal landlords, according to data from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
This is despite an increase in the number of property inspections by local authorities.
The statistics, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that for councils across England, the number of inspections under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) increased from 85,326 in 2021/22 and 2022/23 to 91,620 between 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Although the number of inspections has increased, previously released data shows that councils across England are collecting just a quarter of the total number of fines issued to landlords for housing breaches.
According to data collected by the NRLA and published earlier this year, between 2023/24 and 2024/25, from 285 English councils that responded, a total of almost £30 million in fines were issued to private landlords. However, only a quarter of that amount (almost £7.5 million) has actually been collected.
The findings come after the cross-party Housing Select Committee recently warned that the government must do more to hold councils to account for tackling the activities of the minority of rogue and criminal landlords who are undermining the reputation of the compliant majority.
Commenting on the findings, Ben Beadle, CEO of the NRLA, said: “While an increase in property inspections indicates more proactive enforcement, councils are failing to collect the money they should from those who flout their obligations.
“In a polluter-pay system, it is the responsible landlords who are hit with licensing and other fees to cover the costs of rooting out the rogue and criminal minority. This is not sustainable and undermines the confidence of the landlords we want to keep in the market.”