More funding to target rogue landlords in Birmingham
Cllr John Cotton
Birmingham is set to bring even more unscrupulous landlords to justice, thanks to a successful bid to the government for Rogue Landlords Funding to the tune of £110k.
Although the majority of landlords in Birmingham’s growing private rented sector are law abiding and act responsibly, Birmingham City Council gets around 3,000 requests for help from private tenants a year. These include queries around tenancy conditions, harassment and illegal eviction as well as disrepair. Most are resolved through advice and negotiation with private landlords and agents but around 10% result in formal intervention including legal proceedings.
Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhood Management and Homes, Cllr John Cotton, said: “Our private sector team already do a great job in supporting private tenants and bringing the minority of landlords that flout the law to justice.
“This new funding will enable the team to work with agencies across the city to tighten procedures, identify problems and target rogue landlords.
“As the private rented sector continues to grow it’s really important that we strengthen our work in this field and support the relationship between landlord and tenant for the good of all concerned.”
The additional funding will be used to –
- Set up a data-sharing arrangement across the key agencies in order to identify problems and target rogue landlords
- Develop some pre-checking procedures with partners to ensure that landlords are fit and proper persons
- Work with police and Revenue & Customs to target inspections on high risk properties
- Ramp up the target inspection programme for unlicensed Homes in Multiple Occupation
The private rented service team has successfully prosecuted two landlords for illegal eviction in the last couple of months. Sead Alimajstorovic had illegally evicted a single mum and her young son from their house in Kings Heath leaving their property in the front garden, whilst Mirsad Solakovic had illegally evicted a family of nine from their house in Bordesley Green.
-ends-
For further media information contact Press and PR Officer Debbie Harrison on 303 4476
