Yorkshire councils 'enabling rogue and criminal operators', landlord body claims

The National Residential Landlords Association said that by allowing “a minority” of rogue landlords, it was “bringing the sector into disrepute”.

Instead, chief executive Ben Beadle said that good landlords are forced “to pick up the tab in licensing fees”.

Freedom of Information disclosures by 15 Yorkshire and Humber councils revealed penalties totalling £3.5m were issued to landlords in 2023-24 and 2024-25, but under a third of this was collected.

Overall, 606 civil penalties were issued to landlords over the same period.

Six local authorities across the region said they had not issued any civil penalties to landlords between 2023 and 2025, including North Yorkshire.

The Renters’ Rights Act, which is due to come into force in May, will increase the maximum penalties from £7,000 to £40,000.

But the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), which conducted the research, warned that rogue landlords will continue to avoid financial punishment without a significant increase in upfront funding for councils.

The Government said councils will receive £18.2 million in 2025-26 to support preparations for the implementation of the new legislation and to build enforcement capacity.

As well as concerns that tenants are being left exposed to rogue operators, the NRLA said enforcement failings are “undermining the reputation of the vast majority of landlords who meet their responsibilities and provide good quality homes”.

Mr Beadle added: “Tenants and the vast majority of responsible landlords across Yorkshire and the Humber will rightly be fed up by our findings.

“For too long a minority of rogue and criminal operators have been allowed to act with impunity, bringing the sector into disrepute.

“It is galling then to see that those breaking the law are still failing to pay the price – leaving good landlords to pick up the tab in licensing fees.

“This also raises serious questions about how ready councils across the region are to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act, and about the adequacy of the upfront funding provided to them to support enforcement action.”

Responding to the figures, Tom Hunt, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Inclusive Growth Committee and Labour’s leader in Sheffield, said: “Councils are rightly issuing civil penalties to rogue landlords for housing offences, and are working hard to ensure that all residents live in safe, secure and high-quality housing.

“As the Renter’s Rights Act comes into force, councils need to be fully resourced and funded to deliver for their residents, including when rogue landlords fail them and enforcement action must take place. This includes increasing the amount of debt collected from civil penalties or to act as a deterrent.

“We encourage all councils to engage with the Government-funded Jigsaw programme to support the Act’s implementation.”