London renters can flag up breaches of the Tenant Fees Act to Trading Standards by using a new reporting tool.

Report a Rogue Landlord or Agent unites London Trading Services with the London mayor’s Report a Rogue tool in a bid to return any illegal fees charged by landlords and letting agents, such as paying more than five weeks rent as a deposit, administration fees or fees to view a property.
London Trading Standards is working with the mayor’s Private Rented Sector(PRS) team on the project to empower the capital’s 2.7 million private renters to know, and use, their rights, says Tom Copley, deputy mayor for housing and residential development.

He explains that they will be able to report rogue landlords and letting agents more easily and potentially have any illegally obtained tenancy fees repaid.
“When the mayor launched his flagship Rogue Landlord Checker and Report a Rogue tool in 2017, he made it clear that unscrupulous landlords and agents would have nowhere to hide,” says Copley.

“Since then, this tool has been used over 6,000 times, helping thousands of Londoners to feel safe renting in our city. This new initiative builds on the mayor’s promise to protect the capital’s renters.”

Nishi Patel, chair of London Trading Standards, adds: “The cost-of-living crisis, coupled with the dramatic increase in new rents across London, is fuelling a threat to the welfare of so many people who are seeing their incomes squeezed. But the launch of our project with the London mayor’s team should provide private renters with support in their time of need.”