Councils across Britain have been accused of letting rogue landlords off the hook, after new figures revealed that most have failed to secure a single prosecution.

Almost six in 10 councils had not prosecuted any landlords in the last year, with more than 80% prosecuting fewer than five.

The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, have prompted suggestions that private renters face a “postcode lottery” when it comes to having their rights upheld.

It comes with councils complaining that the unprecedented budget pressures they are facing mean that they are struggling to cope.

Nearly 30% said they had carried out fewer than 100 inspections in their area in the last year. It has led to calls for councils to be handed more power and resources to tackle the problem.

More than 180 councils responded to a survey on inspections of private rented housing and prosecutions.

The London borough of Newham stood out, having prosecuted 331 landlords. The council has a mandatory licensing scheme for landlords, which it is currently waiting for the government to renew.

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Brent council was next with 65 prosecutions, followed by Waltham Forest with 58, Doncaster with 49, Barking and Dagenham with 35, and Wirral with 29. However, most reported that they had not secured any.

Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath who uncovered the information, said: “These figures expose a stark postcode lottery when it comes to tackling rogue landlords. Thousands of tenants across the country are having to endure horrendous and unsafe living conditions, while unscrupulous landlords are breaking the rules with impunity.

“Cash-strapped councils need more funding to inspect rented homes and bring rogue landlords to justice. Tenants should also be able to check whether their landlords have previously broken the rules through a public database. Rogue landlords have been allowed to exploit the housing crisis for too long. It’s time the government stopped dragging its feet and clamped down on them.”

Martin Tett, a Conservative councillor and the housing spokesman for the Local Government Association (LGA), said the majority of tenants are happy with their accommodation. He added that councils had a number of tools at their disposal short of prosecuting, designed to ensure any disputes “are settled in a way that is satisfactory to both sides”.

“Enforcement would usually be a last resort for councils, who have to weigh up whether or not the fines available would be a significant deterrent to rogue landlords, or whether expensive prosecutions are a cost-effective use of taxpayers’ money, at a time when councils face a £5.8bn shortfall in funding by 2020,” he said.

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“There are things that central government can do to help – bringing forward a national database of rogue landlords, or granting councils further banning powers for the minority of landlords not prepared to offer up-to-standard accommodation, would be powerful incentives to bring the best out of the private rented sector and ensure it delivers quality accommodation for our residents and communities.”

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: “This government is determined to crack down on rogue landlords, either forcing them to improve and raise their standards or to leave the sector entirely. We expect all councils to use the strong powers and funding we’ve given them to improve property conditions and tackle poor quality rental homes in their area. Civil penalties and extended rent repayment orders were introduced this April meaning councils can now impose fines of up to £30,000 to tackle those landlords who flout the rules and shirk their responsibilities.”