Whilst the majority of landlords provide decent homes for their tenants, the cash boost will enable local councils to step up action against the small minority who continue to flout the law and force vulnerable tenants such as young families to live in inadequate or unsafe housing.

Peter Taylor, Elected Mayor of Watford said, ‘We take this issue really seriously and so I’m pleased that we have received this funding to get even tougher on landlords that don’t meet their legal obligations. I want to do all I can to give the legal protections and security that private renters in our town need.’

The government has already equipped local authorities with strong powers to tackle criminal landlords, ranging from fines to outright bans for the worst offenders. However, the money from the fund could help councils in a variety of ways, including working with external agencies like the emergency services to crack down on criminal landlords and targeted enforcement in-line with new regulations for houses of multiple occupation (HMOs).

Housing Minister Heather Wheeler MP said: “Everyone has the right to live in a home that is safe and secure, and it is vital we crack down on the small minority of landlords who are not giving their tenants this security. This extra funding will further boost councils’ ability to root out rogue landlords and ensure that poor-quality homes in the area are improved, making the housing market fairer for everyone.”

The fund builds on ongoing government and local authority action to drive up standards in the private rented sector – ensuring millions of hard-working tenants can live in the homes they deserve and creating a housing market that works for everyone.