Stop Haringey’s Housing Scandal – Protect Residents, Not Rogue Landlords

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Stop Haringey’s Housing Scandal – Protect Residents, Not Rogue Landlords

Haringey Council

Image: An unlicensed HMO in Haringey. Credit: The Guardian

The Issue

Did you know that Haringey Council:

doesn't inspect HMOs for safety before granting the landlord a licence?
carried out just 21 safety inspections on rented properties from 2021 to 2023, despite over 1,400 complaints and other councils carrying out hundreds or thousands of inspections?
has powers to collect a rogue landlord's rent and use it to fund required repairs, but hasn't used it once in the last five years?
will advise a landlord that would be banned as unfit from getting an HMO licence to apply again via an estate agent to receive a licence?
has been accused of "complicity" with a criminal landlord in a recent press report, by placing residents in their illegal, rodent-infested, damp and mouldy HMO?

The council is failing to protect residents in the private rented sector, HMOs and temporary accommodation. For too long, rogue landlords have been able to get away with providing unsafe and unlicensed homes, with the council seemingly not just failing to use its powers to stop them, but facilitating their business.

This is a scandal, and it's happening here, on our streets.

Sign the petition to show your support for change and help trigger a debate by Haringey Council.

We call on the council to:

✅ 1. Inspect before licensing: No licence without an inspection first.

✅ 2. Carry out legal checks: Do proper checks before placing families in temporary housing.

✅ 3. Ban criminal landlords: Refuse licences to convicted rogue landlords.

✅ 4. Enforce repairs: Use existing powers to step in and fix unsafe properties, paid by the landlord.

✅ 5. Be accountable: Report quarterly on complaints, inspections, and action taken.

Petition by

Safe Homes Haringey

London, United Kingdom

To: Haringey Council
From: [Your Name]

We request Haringey Council implements the following 5-Point Plan for HMOs, private rental and temporary accommodation:

✅ Inspections before HMO licensing:
Physical inspections and requirements to make a property safe before granting an HMO licence.

✅ Suitability checks on temporary accommodation:
Carry out the legally required suitability checks on properties before use as temporary accommodation.

✅ Refuse licences to criminal landlords:
Use the legal 'fit and proper' test to refuse HMO licences to landlords who have been convicted for housing offences.

✅ Enforce improvements with credible threats:
Inspect properties when safety concerns are reported and issue improvement notices within 14 days. If rogue landlords fail to comply with improvement notices, use Interim Management Orders to collect the rent and spend it on carrying out repairs to make housing safe.

✅ Public accountability:
Quarterly public reporting on the number of private sector housing complaints received, HHSRS inspections carried out, improvement orders served, improvement orders complied with and Interim/Final Management Orders put in place.

Disclaimer: This petition represents the views of residents concerned about housing standards and public accountability in Haringey. All statements are made in good faith based on publicly available reports, correspondence with tenants and Haringey Council, and information available at the time of publication.