15 April 2026
David Smith featured in property press on Council funding to crack down on rogue landlords
Property Litigation partner David Smith has been quoted in the property press on the Government’s announcement of Council funding to crack down on rogue landlords. The announcement comes as Councils will take on new responsibilities when renters’ rights reforms come into force next month.
All 317 local authorities in England will share £41 million in funding, building on an earlier £18 million allocation made last autumn. The funding is intended to prepare councils for enhanced powers and obligations under the Renters’ Rights Act, which is scheduled to take effect on May 1.
Under the new legislation, councils will be placed under a formal “duty to enforce”, requiring them to ensure landlords comply with rules prohibiting bidding wars between tenants and the use of no-fault evictions.
Landlords who commit serious or repeated breaches of the rules could face increased penalties of up to £40,000, which is £10,000 higher than the current maximum fine.
David Smith said: “Spread across more than 300 local authorities, the additional funding is unlikely to transform enforcement overnight. Many councils already struggle with limited housing enforcement teams, and the new ‘duty to enforce’ could place significant pressure on existing resources. No amount of money will resolve the shortage of qualified and experienced environmental health officers.”
Read David’s comments:
Please note that this post has been prepared for the purpose of providing general information in a non-specific situation. Legal advice should be taken in relation to your particular circumstances. It is not intended that this post is relied upon by any party, and no liability is accepted for reliance.