A community union has accused the council of backsliding on a pledge to crack down on rogue landlords in the city.

Acorn claims that Brighton and Hove City Council have backtracked on a motion passed by the housing committee last year, which committed the council to adopt a “zero tolerance” approach to rogue landlords, as well as create a public database of landlords who have been prosecuted.

The move came after it emerged the council had only prosecuted three landlords over the course of a decade.

The union says that, in a letter, council leader Phelim Mac Cafferty said that the number of prosecutions is an imperfect measure of the effectiveness of the council’s approach.

A spokesman for Acorn claimed that it suggested that the council is “unwilling or incapable of implementing their own policies”.

He said: “The behaviour of the council towards private renters in the city is shocking.

“Not only private renters but anyone who cares about democracy in the council should be very concerned.

“The Greens claim they are standing up for renters, but they seem to be unwilling or incapable of implementing their own policies.

“Acorn will continue to fight to rid our city of rogue landlords, and will continue to campaign until the council fulfils its promises to renters.”

The union is calling for Cllr Mac Cafferty to meet with them urgently to resolve the dispute.

A council spokesman said: “We will always prosecute rogue landlords if they do not take actions to ensure their properties meet the required standard.

“The number of prosecutions and fines is generally a poor measure of improving conditions for private sector renters in the city.

“It fails to recognise that improvements will often be made, for example, most quickly through negotiation with landlords.

“Where this fails, of course, fines, prosecution and improvement notices are a critical part of the enforcement toolkit.

“This includes the rationale that although landlords will be given a realistic timeframe to make the necessary improvements for the tenant, if they fail to do so within that time frame, the council will act.”