Barking and Dagenham Council has vowed to root out “exploitative landlords”.

A series of morning raids were carried out across the borough of Barking and Dagenham in further attempts to catch out a growing list of ‘rogue landlords’ who are exploiting the current housing shortage across London. A total of seventeen people were found crammed within one single three bedroom property. In total, the raids reported that  over 50 adults and children were found to be living within seven properties around the borough.

Barking and Dagenham, reported recently as one of the cheapest places to purchase close to London, is having a rush of investors looking to add to their portfolios knowing that shortage of rental means they are likely to see good returns. One property sold in the area who we spoke to said their property sold within the first day and has since had many private individuals still knowing at their door offering cash purchase should their sale fall through…

Council leader Darren Rodwell said: “We will not accept these appalling Dickensian conditions.
The aim of the council is to continue to drive out rogue landlords and improve the overall living standards for tenants across the region. This is helped by the £250,000 received from the Government for it’s licensing scheme.

Councillor Laila Butt, cabinet member for crime and enforcement, is quoted as saying: “This money is helpful. But the problem is London’s ludicrous housing and rental market, which is why we have exploitative, rogue landlords making a mint out of other’s misery.

If you want answers to any issues that you have locally re landlords, housing, tenants and more then do think about using the likes of Twitter where many MP’s can be found and most are very open to taking questions and offering feedback and advice. Though Councillor Laila Butt’s tweets are protected and confirmed followers have access to @CllrLailaButt’s Tweets and complete profile.

Across London there are issues with rogue landlords, Evening Standard reported back in November 2015 re the “converted single north London house into NINE flats… and raked in £100k rent a year“.

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Letting Agent Talk

How much to live along the London Marathon Route

Local lettings and estate agency, Kinleigh, Folkard & Hayward, reveal the costs to live along the iconic route – from the start in Blackheath to Greenwich all the way to Tower Bridge Sunday 26th April sees the iconic London marathon – the world’s biggest annual one-day fundraising event – return to the streets of London.…
Read More
Home and Living

FIVE food cupboard cleaning products that beat the branded – all under £1.50!

Use white wine vinegar to get rid of yellow pillow stains Many cleaning products Brits already have in their food cupboards Cleaning expert on five cleaning products that can help clean your bedroom From limescale to stubborn stains, many household messes can be tackled with items that are probably at the back of your food…
Read More
Breaking News

Taxing times for bereaved families as IHT receipts hit a fresh record

Inheritance Tax receipts for April 2025 to March 2026 are £8.5 billion, which is £0.2 billion higher than the same period last year. This surpasses the £8.2 billion recorded the previous year and marks a fifth consecutive annual record. Rising receipts come amid intensified enforcement and public criticism that the inheritance tax system is unfairly…
Read More
Breaking News

UK property management sector tops £37bn

The latest research from Property Inspect reveals that the UK property and facilities management sector grew by 4.1% in 2025, with annual revenue surpassing £37.7 billion. Forecasts suggest that 2026 will see this figure continue to rise. Property Inspect has analysed data on the estimated market size of the UK’s facilities and property management industry,…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How Estate Agents in Cambridge Support First-Time Buyers

Buying your first home can feel both exciting and overwhelming. If you are doing it in a city like Cambridge, you can probably dial that terror up a few notches. It is a place where historic charm meets a high-octane tech economy, and that combination creates a property market that operates differently from many other…
Read More
Breaking News

UK House Price Index for February 2026

The latest UK House Price Index for February 2026 shows that:   The average monthly rate of house price growth in February was +0.1%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 1.2% in the 12 months to February 2026. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £268,000.   Damien Jefferies, Founder…
Read More