ABSTRACT
The nature of the PRS has changed substantially in recent years due to acute housing need and a growing PRS, and a reduced regulatory workforce has created conditions for rogue or criminal landlords to operate. Tenancy relations officers as well as EHPs and others regulating PRS conditions and management are now faced with investigating and responding to criminal activities in the PRS, which is immensely complex and time-consuming in an already very stretched workforce. This requires new skills to understand the dynamic nature of emerging criminal activities, which can be challenging and immensely time-consuming to investigate and action whilst protecting the tenants’ rights. Recent cases help demonstrate the nature and extent of the work involved, and practitioners need to develop fraud investigation skills alongside their other expertise in better regulating the shadow PRS.
