Newham Council has approved an implementation plan for the Renters' Rights Act 2025, a significant piece of legislation designed to bolster tenant security and rights across the borough. The decision, made by Interim Chief Executive Paul Martin on April 29, 2026, ushers in a revised Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy, effective from May 1, 2026. The full details of the decision can be found in the Public reports pack.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025, which comes into full effect on the same date, will abolish Section 21 'no-fault' evictions, limit rent increases to once per year, and prohibit landlords from inviting or accepting offers above the advertised rent. It also introduces new civil and criminal offences for landlords who fail to comply, with maximum civil penalties increased to £40,000.
Newham's revised enforcement policy includes a discretionary 10% uplift on civil penalty starting points. This uplift is applied to reflect Newham's higher-than-average rents, which are approximately 34% higher than the national average. The uplift is reviewed annually to ensure it acts as a deterrent and does not exceed the average rent increase for Newham, and it is applied to all civil penalty starting points.
The policy details a framework for determining civil penalties, considering aggravating and mitigating factors, financial considerations, and the principle of totality. The 'principle of totality' will be applied when determining civil penalties, specifically for adjusting total aggregate fines proportionately where multiple breaches occur. This involves a decision on whether the aggregate penalty amounts are just and proportionate in respect of the breaches and/or offences subject to enforcement action. For cases where a reduction for totality is made, specific percentage reductions will apply based on the number of financial penalties on each individual, company, or relevant company officer.
To oversee the implementation, a Renters' Rights Act Project Board has been established, chaired by the Director of Housing Needs. This board will meet monthly to monitor progress, financial expenditure, and agree on future actions. Authority has been delegated to relevant directors to make minor amendments to the policy and to finalise any additional policies required by subsequent parliamentary orders.
The implementation is expected to have a strong positive equality impact, particularly for vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by poor-quality private rented housing, including disabled residents, Black and Global Majority communities, pregnant tenants, and low-income households. Mitigating actions include multilingual guidance, proportionate enforcement, and officer training.
Financially, the implementation will be supported by new burdens funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, totalling £168,000 for preparation costs and further allocations for homelessness services and enforcement. It is anticipated that income from Civil Penalty Notices will sustain enforcement costs from 2027/28 onwards.
The decision aligns with Council Priority 5: 'Homes for our residents', aiming to ensure high-quality, well-managed, and safe rented housing. The implementation is a statutory requirement, and no alternative options were considered. The Public minutes and Agenda frontsheet for the meeting are also available.