Chiefs issue £2.2m of fines to rogue landlords

FINES totalling £2.2m have been handed out in a massive crackdown on rogue landlords and unsafe housing conditions.

- By DECLAN CAREY Local Democracy Reporting Service

Private rental properties in Salford whose landlords have failed to listen to improvement or overcrowding notices have been hit in the pocket with penalties from the town hall as part of the scheme, which has been running in the city since 2017.

Fines have also been dished out for offences with houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), including licensing issues and failing to meet management regulations.

Councils were given new powers in 2016 under the Housing and Planning Act to take action on housing enforcement, and can issue fines up to £30,000.

The government said at the time that a 'small number of rogue or criminal landlords [are] knowingly rent out unsafe and substandard accommodation' across the country.

Offences include:

■Failure to comply with an improvement notice