The Private Sector Housing Intelligence and Enforcement Force of Liverpool was established in December 2019 to tackle the activities of rogue and criminal landlords in the City’s private rental sector. This initiative forms part of a Government-funded pathfinder programme designed to identify best practices for local authorities, and Liverpool will receive funding for the project for two years.
To tackle the problem, Liverpool operates a selective licensing scheme for private rented properties in specific areas to raise standards and address poor property conditions. Unlicensed landlords are regarded as non-compliant, and not possessing a licence is a criminal offense. Liverpool’s housing enforcement team has gathered experience and intelligence which revealed that patterns of non-compliance in one area are likely to appear in others as trading standards matters, tax and other evasive behavior are often linked to private rented properties. In response, Liverpool’s housing enforcement team has created close relationships with key partner agencies including Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, HM Revenue and Customs, and the Home Office.
By pooling resources and combining inspection and enforcement powers, Liverpool works collaboratively with these agencies to disrupt rogue and criminal landlords who exploit the private rented sector for illegal activities and financial gain, affecting the city’s most vulnerable residents and creating a debilitating impact on the City. Nevertheless, not only unlicensed landlords fail to follow the law, but also licensed properties are used for criminal purposes such as drugs, brothels, and human trafficking.
In a recent example of Liverpool’s partnership approach with Merseyside Police, relevant intelligence was exchanged and used to combat the use of private housing as cannabis plant farms under the pretense of being private rented properties, leading to the removal of criminals from controlling the property. The enforcement team pays attention to those landlords without licenses, but also those licensed but not complying with their license conditions, especially concerning regular checks on their properties. On several occasions, joint visits to the properties have led to the seizure of drugs worth £5.3 million. Apart from its criminal aspect, these cannabis farms pose a significant risk due to electrical safety issues from illegal wiring, bypassed electricity, and multiple heat lamps leading to the possibility of fire.
In conclusion, Liverpool’s housing enforcement team works closely with third-sector organizations in their harm-reducing operations, ensuring assistance networks for tenants vulnerable to criminal activity from rogue landlords are in place across the council. The broad network of partner agencies allows the team to collaborate efficiently in tackling properties used for criminal activities such as overcrowding, illegal evictions, drug crime, storage of stolen utilities, among others. Six months in, the team has already contributed to intelligence sharing and seen joint operations’ positive impact while aiming to refine processes and enhance its scope of enforcement to continue disrupting rogue and criminal landlords, improving residents’ lives, and tackling the challenging issues affecting their safety in neighborhoods
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