A set of digital tools to support people renting homes in London has now been used more than 500,000 times, according to the mayor’s office.
New figures show the Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker has been used 388,000 times since its launch in 2017 and the Property Licence Checker 125,000 times since 2020.
Both have been viewed 128,000 times in the past year and 6,000 people have reported concerns about their rental property through the Report a Rogue tool.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said this reflects continued problems with the condition of some properties and the credentials of some landlords.
He repeated his earlier call for the Government to set up a national rogue landlord database as part of the legislation on reform in renting.
Sad indictment
Khan said: “The fact that my online tools to root out unscrupulous behaviour of landlords have been used hundreds of thousands of times is a sad indictment of the state of the London rental sector. However, I am pleased to see tenants using these tools to help them avoid dodgy landlords and to stand up for themselves when they are being mistreated or misled.”
He highlighted the figures as part of a call on the Government to take more action to protect private renters, including the creation of the database and a right for tenants to double the amount of rent they can claim back in the worse cases of a home not being up to a sufficient standard.
The Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker provides access to a database that names and shames landlords and letting agents who have been successfully prosecuted or face civil enforcement action for housing offences. The Property Licence Check enables Londoners to find out if their rental is properly licensed, while the Report a Rogue tool is reporting concerns or problems with a rental property or landlord to the enforcement teams of the relevant borough.
