Shapps Launches Beds in Sheds Crack Down

The government is calling on councils to clamp down on rogue landlords that rent squalid outhouses to vulnerable people.  Housing minister Grant Shapps and immigration minister Damian Green have launched guidance for local authorities outlining the actions they should be taking to deal with the so called ‘beds in sheds’.   These include identifying properties, prosecuting landlords, ensuring appropriate sentences are handed out, and publicising successful cases to discourage other rogue landlords. In March this year Eric Pickles said some councils are not doing enough to tackle the problem. This was followed in May by the announcement of £1.8 million to help councils in the worst hit areas, and the government has also set up a taskforce to address the issue.  The CLG said ‘thousands’ of sheds and outbuildings are being rented out to vulnerable migrants.  Download the guide from the CLG website.