Published: Wednesday, 27th December 2017

The first online database aims to protect private renters from being exploited.

The Royal Borough is one of the first councils to join and support the London Mayor's online scheme to name and shame rogue landlords and letting agents.

Make an informed choice about your landlord

The Greater London Authority (GLA) rogue landlords and agents checker scheme gives private renters a way of checking to see if landlords or letting agents have been successfully prosecuted or been issued with financial penalty notices for housing offences.

The Royal Borough has added its most recent prosecutions to the checker service to help private renters make informed choices about the landlords and agents they are looking to rent homes from.

The Council recognises that the majority of landlords do provide well maintained homes which comply with all the regulations but it's determined to root out those which don't.

Use the online landlord and letting agent checker

One of the first boroughs to take part

The checker has been launched with information from the first wave of ten boroughs along with the London Fire Brigade and is set to be a vital source of information for the estimated 600,000 private renters in the areas covered.

The participation and support of the scheme by the Council is being undertaken as part of its on-going work to drive up the quality of standards in the private rented sector which has grown in recent years to include 30,000 properties.

Additional licensing for landlords in the Royal Borough

The Royal Borough's extension of licensing to include all homes in multiple occupancy came into force on 1 October 2017.

Landlords of properties which have three or more residents sharing kitchen or bathroom facilities from different households, are being urged to comply and warned they face penalty notices of up to £30,000 for failing to do so.

Catching the few who cut corners

Councillor Jackie Smith the Cabinet member for Community Safety and Environment, said: "We're really proud to play a key role in this initiative by London Mayor Sadiq Khan. It will mean unscrupulous landlords and letting agents who exploit private renters in Royal Greenwich will have nowhere to hide.

"With the number of private renters in Royal Greenwich rising to 30,000 in recent years, which is one in three households, we are determined to do all we can to make sure these residents are not living in appalling or dangerous conditions.