Landlord criminality in the private rented sector in England: findings and policy recommendations

This policy brief synthesises findings from a programme of ESRC-funded research examining criminality in the private rented sector (PRS) in England. The research integrates criminological analysis, housing policy, housing law and enforcement perspectives to examine how landlord-perpetrated crime operates, how tenants experience harm, and how regulatory and criminal justice systems respond in practice. The briefing’s purpose is to support evidence-informed policy development by providing a clear, consolidated account of the nature of criminality in the PRS and by setting out corresponding policy recommendations that are grounded in empirical evidence and attentive to delivery realities. The briefing synthesizes findings thematically across five studies addressing criminal landlord business models, landlord-perpetrated tenant abuse, harassment and illegal eviction, enforcement practice, and the operation of banning orders.