Landlords in Gloucester face a council crackdown if they fail to properly look after their properties.

The authority will now give those who fail to manage HMOs correctly shorter 12-month HMO licences rather than the standard five years.

It also plans to introduce fines for landlords whose rental homes don’t meet energy efficiency standards and whose EPC rating is below the legal minimum of an E.

Landlords whose properties fail electrical safety standards could be fined up to £30,000 while not installing sufficient carbon monoxide and smoke detectors could land them with a £5,000 fine.

Reduced payment offers for paying the penalty fines early have also been removed.

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Councillor Stephanie Chambers (pictured), cabinet member for planning and housing strategy, says poor housing can have a huge effect on people’s lives and can severely affect their health.

She adds: “While the majority of landlords maintain their properties there is a small minority who think that the rules don’t apply to them. We hope that this will send a message that not meeting the regulations could cost you a lot more in the long run, so now is the time to act.”

Almost 30% of homes are privately rented in Gloucester and the council supports these landlords through its Landlord Incentive Scheme which matches them with prospective tenants and helps them throughout a tenancy.

It works to educate landlords about their responsibilities and can provide advice and support. Landlords who want more information about the scheme can email landlordincentives@gloucester.gov.uk