Nov

LATEST: Councils hammer London landlords with fines totalling £1m in 2021

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Fines for London’s errant landlords and letting agents have totalled £1 million in less than a year as councils pick up the pace of enforcement efforts.

Geospatial technology firm Kamma reports that penalties have increased from £6,052,932 in December 2020 to £7,128,973 at the start of November, a jump of £600,000 in the last four months, and a £372,874 increase since October. This is the total levied since the company set up its database in 2017.

Earlier this year, Kamma – the only company to track the Mayor of London’s Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker – reported a 532% increase in fines between May and July as local authorities embarked on post-lockdown enforcement.

Since the start of 2021, it has seen an average increase of £89,670 in fines every month, with Camden council topping the enforcement league table as the most active in terms of number of fines, followed closely by Newham and Southwark.

Hammersmith and Fulham is now the London borough with the highest average fines of £19,800, followed by Hillingdon with an average of £13,500, and Hackney with £11,250.

With increases across the region, letting agents and landlords have to stay on top of their game, says Kamma CEO Orla Shields (pictured): “The lettings market is more regulated than ever before. Licensing schemes, fines and enforcement through Rent Repayment Orders are all increasing, so it’s vital agents act to protect themselves, their landlords and of course their tenants.”

Landlords and letting agents face fines of up to £30,000 for failing to comply with safety and licensing regulations, and additional fines of up to £5,000 per property for non-compliance with MEES regulations.

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