A large London council has issued new guidance to the housing enforcement team. This increases the maximum fine that allows both landlords and agencies to pay if it turns out to be a violation of the Housing Act.
One of the most energetic enforcers of the capital's most energetic property licensing, housing quality, overcrowding and HMO management laws and regulations, Haringey Council has raised the “minimum” fines that those operating rental properties can expect. 
Councils, like many people across the UK, fine Civil Penalty Notices (CPNs) to fine landlords and agencies rather than paying for the costs of bringing them to court.
The maximum fine is £30,000, but CPN is usually much lower, but Haringey now wants officers to start fines at a higher level. The main measure of its fine severity depends on how serious the attack is, with the new starting point of £2,500 on “mild” rising to £27,500 on “serious”.
Achievements
The starting point for these new penalty levels is determined using other variables including offender performance, harm to tenants, and deterrent effects on landlords and agents individuals and the wider community.
Haringey housing officers also have the freedom to increase the above penalties by an additional £5,000 if a “adverse factor” is identified. Probably an illegal attempt to evict a tenant, but if a “mitigation factor” is found, the fine will be reduced. However, the council says that in both cases this will be “rare.”
The Council says one of the key drivers of its new guidance is to “promote an environment in which it becomes clear that illegally operating as a landlord is much less profitable than complying with regulations. The updated penalty structure sets higher starting fines depending on how serious the crime is.
Fairness
For example, if you fail to comply with the improvement notice, a landlord could cost £22,500, but a license for multiple occupations (HMOs) homes doesn't start at £17,500. Haringey says all cases will be reviewed individually to ensure fairness.
“This policy change demonstrates our commitment to holding landlords accountable and ensuring that all Haringi residents have access to safe, high quality housing,” said Councillor Sarah Williams, Cabinet member of the Deputy Housing and Planning Leader.
“By increasing penalties and streamlining our enforcement strategies, we are sending a strong message. Breaking the law has serious consequences and simply does not tolerate it.
“We are still committed to supporting good landlords while cracking down on illegal landlord practices and raising housing standards across the borough.”
The fines are intended for those who ignore improvement notices, selective licenses, HMO licenses, overcrowding rules, and HMO management.
Please read the revised CPN policy.
