London’s councils accused of “slacking,” with Assembly Members told that some local authorities “do not use enforcement powers at all.”
22nd Jan 20260 561 1 minute read Simon Cairnes
Rent activist groups have attacked London councils for failing to police rogue landlords, warning renters’ rights will mean little without prosecutions, inspections and action on illegal evictions.
Giving evidence to the London Assembly Housing Committee, Niamh Evans, Policy Officer at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said the reforms were “the most significant improvement to renter protections in more than a generation”, but warned the benefits would be lost if councils do not enforce them.
“The act will only be as effective as how it is enforced, and that is our primary concern,” she told Assembly Members.
enforcement collapsingEvans claimed enforcement is collapsing, saying: “In the three-year period to 2024, over a third of councils didn’t prosecute a single landlord. In the last three years, only one landlord in London was prosecuted for an illegal eviction.”
She urged boroughs to explore expanding selective licensing, arguing it “adds a stable source of funding and powers to inspect properties” and gives councils the ability to inspect beyond HMOs.
Paul Williams, a National Organiser at the ACORN Union, also accused local authorities of failing renters, saying enforcement was “slacking” across the capital.
Local authorities seem completely unprepared on how to deal with illegal evictions or enforcing the law as it stands at all.”
“Local authorities seem completely unprepared on how to deal with illegal evictions or enforcing the law as it stands at all,” he said.
Williams added: “There’s a huge discrepancy [within London] — some local authorities do not use enforcement powers at all,” and called for “a strategy from City Hall on how boroughs can use these powers”.
Alva Gotby from the London Renters Union warned weak enforcement could deepen inequality, claiming London risks a “two-tier system” where “the most vulnerable residents” are pushed into “unregulated parts of the private rented sector”.
Photo: London Assembly webcast. Left to right: Alva Gotby (London Renters Union), Paul Williams (Acorn), Ben Twomey (Generation Rent) and Niamh Evans (Renters’ Reform Coalition).
TagsAcorn London Renters Union renters' rights act 22nd Jan 20260 561 1 minute read Simon Cairnes Share Facebook X LinkedIn Share via Email