As growing numbers of councils promote ‘Safer Renting’ schemes that encourage landlords to improve tenant safety, Phil Turtle of Landlord Licensing & Defence has warned of the potential dangers.
According to Turtle, these projects may have a hidden agenda – to gather information landlords may not be obliged to disclose.
He said: “The concern lies in the potential for these schemes to act as a trap for unsuspecting landlords.
“By participating, landlords could be inadvertently providing information that could be used against them in the future.”
The potential issues include asking landlords to declare compliance with various regulations.
That request could be construed as an admission of guilt if the council later discovers a violation.
Also, councils may not have complete information on a landlord’s properties, and by joining the scheme, landlords may unwittingly fill in these gaps towards enforcement action.
Turtle highlighted a third concern and said: “The way the collected information will be used and stored is often unclear.
“Landlords may be unaware of how this information could impact them in the future.”
He concluded: “Landlords play a vital role in providing housing for countless individuals and families.
“It’s crucial they understand their rights and obligations, and approach these “safer renting” schemes with caution.”
