Renters’ Rights Bill will fail without proper enforcement plan

Reforms to the private rented sector will fail without a proper plan to improve enforcement against rogue and criminal landlords, the NRLA has warned, as Peers prepare to debate the detail of the Renters’ Rights Bill.

The Bill includes major legislation change which councils will need to enforce. This includes a decent homes standard for the sector, measures to tackle dangerous damp and mould in homes, and the development of a new database of private rented housing.

In a report published today the NRLA highlights the pressures councils are already under - even before the Bill is implemented.

Freedom of Information data shows that less than half of all fines levied against rogue landlords in England were collected between 2021 and 2023.  

Meanwhile, 49 per cent of English councils had failed to issue a single fine against a rogue landlord during this time.

Bankrupcy

The Renters’ Rights Bill comes as one in four councils in England say its likely they will have to apply for emergency Government bailouts to stave off bankruptcy.

Local authorities are also being expected to do even more, at a time when many are already struggling to cope with the impact of reforms to the way they are structured, pressures to get more homes built, and the ongoing crisis in the adult social care system.  

The NRLA is warning they will struggle to provide the time, focus or resources needed to enforce the Bill and tackle the minority of landlords bringing the sector into disrepute. 

To address this, the NRLA is calling for:

•    The Government to publish a full assessment of the resources local authority enforcement teams currently have, and will need, to enforce what is proposed in the Renters’ Rights Bill.

•    Councils to be required to publish an annual report on enforcement activity related to the private rented sector.

•    Measures to prevent duplication of efforts between the planned database of private sector landlords and properties and local landlord licensing schemes. 

•    The development of a new national post of Chief Environmental Health Officer to champion better enforcement.

NRLA Chief Executive Ben Beadle said: “For too long the vast majority of decent, responsible landlords have been tarnished by the actions of a minority of rogue operators failing to provide good enough housing. 

“If planned reforms are to work, councils need to up their game at finding and rooting out those who have no place renting property out and making it easier for the law-abiding majority providing decent and safe homes. 

“Our report today suggests local authorities will struggle to enforce much of what is in the Renters’ Rights Bill.  

“Without further action, the only winners from all this will be the minority of unscrupulous landlords.” 

More information

• The NRLA’s report on the need to improve enforcement in the private rented sector can be accessed here.
• To find out more about our campaign on student tenancies click here.
• For more on the NRLA's approach to the Bill and our campaigns work read a blog by our policy director Chris Norris here.
• You can keep up to date with all the developments of the Renters Rights Bill, by accessing our exclusive member Hub here.   
• Extra dates have been added for our new Renters’ Rights course, after training sessions sold out in record time. For more information and to book click here.  
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