Liverpool’s Interim Director of Housing, Louise Harford, outlines the success of the city’s Private Sector Housing Intelligence and Enforcement Force…
Our Private Sector Housing Intelligence and Enforcement Force was set up last December to disrupt the activities of rogue and criminal landlords operating within the City’s private rental sector. It forms part of a Government-funded pathfinder programme designed to inform best practices for local authorities, with Liverpool receiving funding for two years.
We operate a selective licensing scheme for private rented properties in specific areas across the city to tackle poor property conditions and raise standards. Unlicensed landlords are considered non-compliant and not having a licence is a criminal offence. Experience and intelligence tells us that patterns of non-compliance in one area means there is a high chance of other non-compliance in other areas, whether that’s with trading standards matters, tax, or other evasive behaviour which all too often, is linked to private rented properties. To tackle this, our team has forged close relationships with key partner agencies such as Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, HM Revenue and Customs and the Home Office.
By pooling resources and combining inspection and enforcement powers we work in collaboration with key stakeholders to disrupt rogue and criminal landlords who use the private rented sector as a means of illegal activity and financial gain, exploiting our most vulnerable residents and creating a blight on our City.
However, it’s not just unlicensed landlords who are falling foul of the law here, many licensed properties are being used for criminal gains such as drugs, brothels and people trafficking too.
A recent example of our partnership approach with Merseyside Police involved the exchanging of relevant intelligence to combat private housing being used to cultivate cannabis plants under the guise of being a private rented property, removing criminals from controlling this property.
The enforcement team focus on those landlords who don’t have a licence but also those that do have a licence but aren’t complying with their license conditions, particularly around regular checks on their properties.
Several joint visits have seen drugs being seized with a street value of £5.3 million. Aside from the criminal factors, these cannabis farms are dangerous particularly around electrical safety due to illegal wiring, bypassed electricity and multiple heat lamps across the property consequently, there is a serious fire risk to those inside and neighbouring properties.
Once the police have dismantled and destroyed the farm, the enforcement team will take appropriate action including shutting down the property until it is safe and compliant.
Checks on the licence conditions will also be conducted to ensure the licence holder has taken all reasonable steps to ensure compliance with licence conditions under the Council’s Selective Licensing scheme. Once the Council is satisfied the hazards have been remedied and our investigation against the licence holder is complete, we can ensure the property is used as a much needed home for our residents.
Using the range of intelligence we have access to and on a risk based approach, the team can also investigate and enforce against the owners of neglected properties being used for criminality. Our range of intelligence means we can investigate an owner/landlord’s entire property portfolio to ensure their misconduct is not replicated elsewhere, with powers to place rogue landlords on a nationwide banned list.
Crucially, the team are works closely with third sector organisations in their harm reduction operations, and works across the Council to ensure support networks are in place for vulnerable tenants who are victims of rogue and criminal landlord activity.
This broad network of partner agencies means the team can effectively work in collaboration to tackle properties being used for criminality often leading to overcrowding and illegal evictions but also related criminal issues like drug crime, modern slavery and human trafficking, illegal employment, and stolen utility supplies.
Six months in, the team are now making regular contributions to intelligence sharing and seeing the positive impact of joint operations. Our job now is to continue to grow our network, refine our processes and enhance our scope of enforcement to continue to disrupt rogue and criminal landlords, improving life for residents and tackling the wicked issues that make residents feel unsafe in their neighbourhoods.
To share intelligence with us about criminal and rogue landlords, please email, in complete confidence: privatesectorhousing.intel@liverpool.gov.uk
