A recent report has revealed that rogue landlords receive around £2.5bn per year for renting out unfit and unsafe properties.
The investigation carried out by The Independent uncovered that some landlords are still letting properties that do not meet basic health and safety standards.
Housing Benefit
In addition, the report shows that unscrupulous landlords are set to obtain over
£12bn in housing benefit during the next five years. The ongoing housing shortage is leaving a number of renters with little alternative but to accept homes that are in disrepair.
Last month, The Independent revealed that almost one-third of private rented homes in England (around 1.4m properties) are currently in a sub-standard condition. 17% were found to contain the most dangerous type of safety hazard.
Commenting on the figures, shadow housing secretary John Healey, said: ‘The number of families renting from a private landlord has soared by more than a million since 2010, but decisions made by Conservative ministers have made it easier for a minority of bad landlords to fleece the system.
‘Most landlords provide decent homes that tenants are happy with, but these rogue landlords are ripping off renters and taxpayers alike by making billions from housing benefit on substandard homes.’
£2.5bn per year being given to landlords letting substandard homes
Broken
Continuing, Mr Healey said, ‘Theresa May declared the ‘housing market is broken’, but Tory ministers won’t act to make the market fairer or work better for private renters. After seven years of failure, the Conservatives have no plan to fix the housing crisis.’
‘The next Labour government would call time on bad landlords and bring in a New Deal for private renters to establish new consumer rights.’[1]
[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2017/9/around-2-5bn-a-year-handed-out-to-landlords-renting-out-non-decent-homes