Statutory guidance issued on new power to issue £30k civil penalties to rogue landlords
The Government has issued statutory guidance for local housing authorities on the use of new powers to impose a civil penalty of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution for certain housing offences under the Housing Act 2004.
The new powers under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 came into force on 6 April 2017.
The Government has previously said it expected the new power “to be used robustly as a way of clamping down on rogue landlords”.
The guidance, which can be viewed here, covers:
- Purpose and scope
- Civil penalties and other sanctions
- Determining an appropriate sanction
- Procedure
- Role of the First-Tier Tribunal
- Enforcement
- Database of rogue landlords and property agents convicted of certain offences (scheduled to come into force on 1 October 2017)
- Income from civil penalties
The Government has also published guidance on rent repayment orders under the Housing and Planning Act 2016. The Act extended RROs to cover illegal eviction, breach of a banning order and other specified offences.
