Councils across England are collecting only a fraction of the fines issued to landlords, despite carrying out more inspections of privately rented homes. New figures released by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) suggest that while enforcement activity is increasing, local authorities are still struggling to recover the money owed by landlords found to have breached housing regulations.
The findings have reignited concerns over the effectiveness of the current enforcement system and whether councils have the resources needed to tackle rogue landlords while ensuring responsible landlords are treated fairly.
Property Inspections Continue to Rise
Data obtained by the NRLA through Freedom of Information requests shows that inspections under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) have increased by just over 7% in recent years.
Across England, councils carried out 91,620 inspections between 2023/24 and 2024/25, compared with 85,326 inspections during the combined 2021/22 and 2022/23 periods.
The rise suggests local authorities are taking a more proactive approach to identifying hazards and enforcing housing standards within the private rented sector.
Most Fines Remain Unpaid
Although inspections have increased, the amount of money actually collected from landlords has remained surprisingly low.
According to previously published NRLA data, 285 English councils issued almost £30 million in financial penalties to private landlords for housing offences during 2023/24 and 2024/25.
However, only around £7.5 million—roughly one quarter of the total value—has been recovered.
This means that millions of pounds in fines remain outstanding, raising questions about whether councils have effective processes in place to recover unpaid penalties.
Calls for Greater Accountability
The figures come shortly after the cross-party Housing Select Committee urged the Government to do more to ensure councils properly enforce housing regulations against the minority of landlords who fail to meet their legal obligations.
The Committee also supported the NRLA’s proposal for all local authorities to publish annual reports detailing their enforcement activity within the private rented sector.
The association believes greater transparency would allow both landlords and tenants to see how licensing income and enforcement funding are being used to improve housing standards.
Concerns Over the Current System
Responding to the findings, NRLA Chief Executive Ben Beadle said the increase in inspections demonstrates that councils are becoming more active in identifying poor housing conditions. However, he argued that this progress is undermined if authorities fail to collect the penalties imposed on landlords who break the rules.
He also suggested that responsible landlords are unfairly carrying the financial burden through licensing fees and other charges, while rogue landlords often avoid paying the fines issued against them.
According to the NRLA, this creates an imbalance where compliant landlords help fund enforcement efforts, despite being the ones already meeting their legal responsibilities.
Why It Matters
The NRLA believes stronger enforcement is essential for maintaining high standards across the private rented sector. However, it argues that enforcement should be backed by effective collection of financial penalties so that those who fail to comply with the law bear the cost, rather than responsible landlords.
The organisation is calling for councils to publish annual reports showing how much revenue they receive from licensing schemes and enforcement activity, along with details of how those funds are spent.
Supporters of the proposal believe greater transparency would help improve confidence in the enforcement system, ensure councils are held accountable, and ultimately provide better protection for tenants while supporting landlords who comply with housing regulations.
As the Government continues to implement housing reforms, the ability of councils to enforce existing rules—and recover unpaid fines—will remain an important issue for both landlords and tenants across England.
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