In a drive to raise standards of privately-rented accommodation in Cornwall, private sector landlords who do not meet new standards or turn a blind eye to criminal activity could face banning orders, tougher licensing rules and fines of up to £30,000 for criminal or anti-social behaviour.

New powers, which came into force in April this year, allow the council and police to work more closely together, in order to target enforcement in properties associated with criminality and take private landlords to task if they or their tenants are breaking the law.

The new rules mean Cornwall Council can apply for an order which bans landlords from renting out properties if they fail to comply with a housing improvement notice or prohibition order, commit offences relating to property licensing, fraud, illegal eviction or harassment of an occupier, committing fire safety or gas safety offences, the production, possession or supply of drugs, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and theft.

In a special arrangement, a dedicated Police Community Support Officer is working alongside Cornwall Council’s Housing Service to identify and deal with criminal landlords.

In addition, from October, new property licensing rules also mean landlords who rent out houses of multiple occupation where there are five or more people sharing, will have to apply to the council for a property licence to operate lawfully. Failure to secure a licence could result in a fine of up to £30,000 or prosecution.

Property licences can have conditions attached including requirements for the landlords to take reasonable steps to prevent or deal with anti-social behaviour. Cornwall Council is expecting more than 300 properties to be affected by this change in law with a high number of student occupied properties expected to comply with the new rules.

The council may also now issue fines of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution and apply to a housing tribunal to recover rent paid to a landlord when housing offences are committed.