Councils are heading for a Post Office-style scandal because they mistreat private landlords with poor administration, harsh enforcement and unjust licensing terms, says one leading housing specialist.
Des Taylor works for Landlord Licensing & Defence which helps landlords comply with various regulations, and he says that local housing authorities treat landlords poorly.
He warns that the same councils targeting landlords to improve private rented homes are the ones neglecting to carry out repairs and deal with tenant's anti-social behaviour in their properties.
'Councils are the next Post Office scandal'
Mr Taylor told Accommodation for Students: "Councils are the next Post Office scandal – the makings are all there.
“Tenants are human beings who deserve decent living conditions, but they are let down by councils who make nonsense PR statements about learnings and not meeting their own high standards, when they are found guilty by the Housing Ombudsman for severe maladministration."
To prove his case, Mr Taylor points to a recent ruling by the Housing Ombudsman against Waltham Forest Council.
The council had to fork out £18,800 in compensation for three different cases.
In one of them, the council closed a file on a tenant's desperate repair request and did not carry out the repair for 11 months.
That's despite the property having severe issues of mould and damp.
'Disgraceful that they would ignore a tenant's plea for help'
Mr Taylor said: "It is disgraceful that they would ignore a tenant's plea for help and not do the repair.
"In the private rented sector, a landlord would be hounded by enforcement operatives from the council, have Abatement Notices, Improvement Notices imposed upon them, and face serious trouble and legal action if they did not act promptly or dared to challenge the council's demands, even if they were incorrect."
He also accuses councils of subcontracting some housing tasks to firms that have misadvised landlords and tenants.
He also says that councils are imposing licence conditions that are 'entrapment and unfair'.
'Asked a landlord if he would consider letting the tenant sublet'
Mr Taylor says: "One of the council advisors asked a landlord if he would consider letting the tenant sublet, which would make an HMO, even though the area is both Article 4 (Planning Restricted) and an HMO Additional Licensing area, which would entrap the landlord if he had unwittingly agreed."
He added: "Waltham Forest is a very regulated borough with Selective Licensing across the borough, with licence conditions that impose on licence holders the responsibility for ensuring compliance with its conditions at all times, and the criminal liability for anti-social behaviour, which the council and the police have proven themselves incapable of controlling.
"The council are not held to any standard and a public inquiry into this must happen for this and all local housing associations."
Thousands of landlords have been punished
From his experience, Mr Taylor says thousands of landlords have been punished far more seriously when committing less serious matters.
And this situation, he warns, will continue until a public inquiry takes place.
Mr Taylor said: "These articles show that the CEOs of these authorities are asleep at the wheel and incompetent, and at the same time the council staff in another department can punish private sector landlords who do the best they can, and they spout lies and misinformation about landlords in the private rented sector, this is scandalous."
He added: "How councils deal with Private Sector Landlords is the next Post Office scandal, and they will be exposed and held accountable for their actions."
'Lots of student landlords with HMOs who deal with councils'
Simon Thompson, the managing director of Accommodation for Students, said: "There will be lots of student landlords with HMOs who deal with councils and read this and agree with what Mr Taylor has to say.
"There is no doubt that councils can crack down on minor misdemeanours with huge fines - but turn a blind eye to their own property failings.
"It's a situation that has gone on for far too long."
He added: "Calling for a public inquiry is just the start, but we need councils to accept that landlords play a crucial role in housing people.
"Victimising and targeting decent landlords cannot be the best way to encourage investment in rental homes that are desperately needed."
