Data shows that 32 London boroughs handed out nearly £8.7 million in civil penalties to private landlords for housing offences between 2023 and 2025

Rogue landlords across the capital are avoiding millions in penalties, with councils collecting only a fraction of the fines issued, new figures reveal.

Data shows that 32 London boroughs handed out nearly £8.7 million in civil penalties to private landlords for housing offences between 2023 and 2025.

However, less than a third of that total — just under £3 million — has been recovered.

The figures, obtained through Freedom of Information requests to London councils, also show that just over 1,300 penalties were issued during the same period, raising concerns about how effectively fines are being enforced.

It comes ahead of the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act from May 1, which will bring in significantly higher fines aimed at driving rogue landlords out of the private rental sector.

Under the new law, the maximum civil penalty will rise from £7,000 to £40,000.

However, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has warned that without a substantial rise in funding for enforcement teams, councils may struggle to pursue offenders, which will allow rogue and criminal landlords to continue to slip through the net.

Five local authorities in London — the City of London Corporation, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon and Hammersmith & Fulham — said they had not issued any civil penalties to landlords between 2023 and 2025.

Aside from leaving tenants exposed to poor practice, it risks undermining the reputation of the majority of landlords who meet their responsibilities and provide good quality homes, the NRLA warned.

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the NRLA, said: Tenants and the vast majority of responsible landlords across London will rightly be fed up with our findings.

For too long a minority of rogue and criminal operators have been allowed to act with impunity, bringing the sector into disrepute, he said.

It is galling then to see that those breaking the law are still failing to pay the price – leaving good landlords to pick up the tab in licensing fees, he said.

This also raises serious questions about how ready councils across the capital are to enforce the Renters’ Rights Act, and about the adequacy of the upfront funding provided to them to support enforcement action., he added.