Raids on overcrowded properties
August 17, 2015
Dagenham has again found its way into the news, this time it is all about “Rogue Landlords”. Raids were carried out last thursday on properties in the borough by council officers, they discovered that a total of 55 people were living in 3 houses.
The Government has only just recently made it very clear that landlords who did not maintain decent living conditions in their properties would be severly dealt with, that also included the repsonsibility of making checks on tenants to ensure they were not illegal immigrants.
The raids uncovered an illegally converted overcrowded terraced property with over 20 people including 4 children, less than a mile away 15 people in a 3 bedroomed house and nearby to that 18 people including 2 children living in 5 rooms.
Barking and Dagenham Councilor Laila Butt reportedly said.“It’s unacceptable to have these almost Dickensian conditions in a world class city such as London.”
Research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed there has been a surge in overcrowded homes in Britain. Over 3 million people now live in a household with at least five other individuals.
It was announced recently by the Government,that landlords or letting agents who did not take their responsibilities seriously, concerning the providing of decent living conditions for tenants and making checks on the resident status of tenants, would be punished by fines or in some cases imprisonment, lets hope they stick to their word.
You May Also Enjoy
Rental price and average salary tracker – March 2026
Rents Plateau, But UK Market Tells Regional Story Significant comparisons include across Scotland where average agreed rents rose to £1,123, representing a 4.95% increase month and month across the nation. Northern Ireland saw the second largest average monthly rents rise, bringing an increase of 3.99% to an average agreed price of £887 compared to £853…
Read More 
Breaking Property News 9/4/26
Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Why Rightmove is making all the wrong moves In a world reshaped by AI, incumbency is no longer protection. It is exposure. Thought Leadership By Andrew Stanton, CEO Proptech-PR Rightmove has long been the unassailable giant of UK property portals—a category-defining platform that, for years, operated…
Read More 
Six property firms expelled from redress scheme
Six property businesses have been expelled from The Property Ombudsman after failing to pay compensation awards. The expulsions followed a review by the scheme’s independent Compliance Committee, which agreed that each firm should be removed for breaching their membership obligations by not complying with Ombudsman decisions. The Property Ombudsman, which provides impartial dispute resolution for…
Read More 
Best garden renovations to increase property value this spring
With spring fast approaching and warmer weather finally in sight, now is the perfect time to step outside and give your garden the well-deserved TLC and refresh it needs after such a wet and dreary start to the year. Whether it’s refreshing planting beds, updating patio areas or rethinking your layout, investing time into your…
Read More 
Prime London property market stays firm
The latest Prime London Demand Index by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, reveals that, despite broad economic uncertainty, buyer demand across London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods avoided a decline during the first quarter of 2026, with the likes of Chelsea, Battersea, Highgate, and Belgravia seeing quarterly demand increases of above 5%. The Prime…
Read More 
More first-time buyers enter the market in 2026
The latest research by Yopa has revealed that first-time buyer demand has strengthened during the first quarter of 2026, despite the supply of homes offering the benefit of a buying scheme remaining limited. Yopa analysed first-time buyer demand based on the proportion of homes listed under buying schemes* that have already sold subject to contract…
Read More