A NEW recruit is set to be sought to help council bosses in Pendle win their ongoing battle with rogue landlords.

Fresh government legislation is set to give town halls extra powers to crack down on unscrupulous lettings bosses.

And councillors in Nelson, Colne and West Craven are being asked to approve the appointment of an additional environmental health officer to assist with the effort.

In an executive report, borough housing manager Julie Whittaker, said: “The new legislation, under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, provides local housing authorities with a range of new powers to tackle the problems of rogue landlords, but further work is needed to develop a local policy.

“As a number of landlords and managing agents operate across Pennine Lancashire it makes sense to try and work with the other local authorities to see if a consistent policy approach can be developed.”

Council officials in Pendle said the cost of an extra environmental health officer, to cover the work, with pension and National Insurance contributions, would be around £39,000.

Councillors on the executive are being asked to grant a supplementary estimate for the spending when they meet on Thursday.

The new housing laws allow for civil penalties of up to £30,000, for specified offences, and allow for rent repayment orders, to cover illegal evictions and tenancy breaches.

Plans will also be pulled together for a database of rogue landlords and property agents.

Councils will have the power to impose fines for failures to comply with improvement notices and offences involving houses in multiple occupation.

Meanwhile in Burnley, housing chiefs are reporting that six out of 10 properties have registered for an extension to their selective licensing scheme, which is designed to tackle similar issues.

Cllr John Harbour, deputy council leader and housing cabinet member, said: “We continue to secure applications for properties in the newly designated licensing areas of Burnley Wood with Healey Wood, the Leyland Road area, and the Ingham and Lawrence area of Padiham.” The number of applications received in the Padiham areas is around 72 per cent of those which qualify for licensing.