A councillor has called for more local authorities to follow Merton’s lead and strip rogue landlords of their properties.
The London council seized 18 properties for 12 months from one rogue landlord who ignored tenants’ pleas to carry out repairs and persistently failed to license the properties under the London borough’s selective scheme which was introduced last year.
Not-for-profit Capital Letters has taken over the homes for the next 12 months and rent money will be used to make repairs, with any left over going to the landlord. However, under the interim management order he won’t be allowed to evict any tenants and remains responsible for paying mortgages on the properties.
Councillor Andrew Judge (main image), cabinet member for housing and sustainable development, tells The Big Issue that Merton Council will continue to powers under the Housing Act 2004 against rogue landlords to protect renters and urges other local authorities to do the same.
Judge says he could only find instances of them being used in Coventry and once in Waltham Forest and believes authorities have been reluctant to be innovative in their use of these powers. “That’s not provable but it’s an impression certainly I’ve had,” he explains.
"I think on a moral and political level, councils need to be doing that as best they can.”
“Also, these powers are not easy to discern but I think they’re quite powerful and I hope that, through our example, it will encourage other councils who face similar issues. I think on a moral and political level, councils need to be doing that as best they can.”
Judge adds: “People in very difficult rental circumstances are often vulnerable and councils need to do their best to offer facilities to shield people from aggressive landlords - and one way is by the exercise of such powers.”
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