£450k in fines for unlicensed landlords

COUNCIL'S WARNING AS IT SAYS TENANTS FEELING BENEFIT FROM CRACKDOWN

- STAFF REPORTER

LANDLORDS have been warned they must act urgently to apply for a relevant licence or face fines of up to £30,000 for each unlicensed property.

In June 2023, Birmingham City Council launched a property licensing programme which it said was an effort to improve the quality and safety of rental homes in the city.

The council has been visiting properties it thinks might not have a licence and has taken action against landlords who have broken the rules - leading to a total of £450,000 in fines so far.

Tenants were already seeing the benefits, the council said, as inspections revealed many instances where crucial safety features, such as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, were missing.