Brent Council has written to many stakeholders urging them to become involved in the consultation on licensing to ‘ Help drive up standards for renters in Brent‘.

This is the same time that itself received a damning judgement from the Regulator of Social Housing, citing serious failings in meeting essential safety and quality standards for its own housing stock.

Following a self-referral in April, Brent has been assigned a C3 consumer grade, indicating major shortcomings and the need for urgent and substantial improvement.

Key Findings:

• Fire safety data unreliable – Despite claiming to close 12,500 fire risk actions, a spot check found lack of evidence for many of them.

• Safety compliance issues – Failures in record-keeping around fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, asbestos, and water safety.

• Inaccurate property condition data – Nearly half of homes lack valid condition surveys, calling into question compliance with the Decent Homes Standard.

A Sector-Wide Warning

This judgement comes at a time when Brent is intensifying inspections on private landlords. The council’s inability to meet standards it seeks to enforce elsewhere raises questions of consistency and governance.

It also serves as a stark reminder that compliance, transparency, and accurate documentation are critical—whether you’re a public or private landlord.

Council Response

Councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, said: “We take our responsibilities as a landlord very seriously and the council accepts that we have let tenants down in the areas outlined by the Regulator and for this we apologise unreservedly.

“In this instance, we have fallen short of our responsibilities as a landlord and failed to meet the expectations of our tenants.”

Brent’s housing lead, Cllr Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, apologised, admitting the council had let tenants down but said steps are being taken to improve. These include a new damp and mould squad and dedicated repairs blitz days on estates.

Takeaway for Landlords & Agents:
This case underlines the importance of rigorous compliance with safety regulations and maintaining clear, auditable records. As standards tighten across the board, proactive management is not just best practice—it’s a shield against reputational and regulatory risk.