Total fines for letting agents and landlords passes £7 million mark for first time, as post-lockdown council enforcement continues to increase

Press HMO Property Licensing Rogue Landlords

Published 24th November 2021

The total fines for non-compliant letting agents and landlords has now hit £7.1 million, a £372,874 increase since October.
Fines have increased by more than a £1 million in less than a year
Fine activity highest in Camden, Newham and Southwark

November 23, 2021 – Geospatial technology firm Kamma has today reported that total fines for rogue landlords and letting agents has crossed the £7 million mark for the first time. This represents an increase of £600,000 in the last four months, and includes a £372,874 increase in just the last month.

Kamma is the only company to track the Mayor of London’s Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker, and deliver analysis of enforcement trends across the capital. Earlier this year, Kamma reported a 532% increase in fines between May and July as local authorities picked up the pace of enforcement efforts. Now, in just under a year, the total fines for letting agents and landlords have increased by over a million pounds: from £6,052,932 in December 2020 to £7,128,973 at the start of November.

Since the start of this year, Kamma has reported an average increase of £89,670 in fines every month. Camden council tops the enforcement league table as the most active in terms of number of fines, followed closely by Newham and Southwark. Yet, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is now the London borough with the highest average fines of £19,800, followed by Hillingdon with an average of £13,500, and Hackney with £11,250. With increases across the region, letting agents and landlords have to stay on top of their compliance, as Kamma CEO, Orla Shields explained: “The lettings market is more regulated than ever before. Licensing schemes, fines and enforcement through Rent Repayment Orders are all increasing, so it’s vital Agents act to protect themselves, their landlords and of course their tenants.”

Letting agents and landlords stand to face fines of up to £30,000 for non-compliance, if failing to comply with safety and licensing regulations, and additional fines of up to £5,000 per property for non-compliance with MEES regulations.

Speak to the team – hello@kammadata.com