Crackdown on rogue Landlords

Lewisham Council clamps down on rogue landlords

Officers from Lewisham Council, the police, gas and electricity suppliers have mounted three raids on a total of 25 properties inside two weeks in a determined programme to crack down on rogue landlords.

The raids uncovered four new criminal landlords, all involved in high level tax evasion, with at least 50 properties between them.

It also found three unauthorised structures to be demolished and a fourth outbuilding illegally used for residential. In one case a boarded-up restaurant had been converted into six substandard ‘studio’ flats.

Council officials also found five unlicensed houses in multiple occupation presenting critical health and safety hazards, including one severely overcrowded three-bedroom house occupied by 29 people.

Fifteen addresses had dangerous, stolen or unregistered utility meters while two cannabis factories running on stolen electricity, posing serious fire risks, were also found.

Police acted immediately to take down the cannabis factories. Legal action will now follow which will result in:
• unsafe premises being closed down
• hefty fines imposed on landlords involved in criminal activity
• recouping public money and tenants’ deposits that has been fraudulently obtained
• landlords forced to bring their properties up to scratch.

http://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/news_features/Lewisham-Council-clamps-down-on-rogue-landlords