Hounslow Council has formally integrated the Renters' Rights Act 2025 into its private sector housing enforcement policy, aiming to bolster protections for private renters and improve housing standards across the borough.
The updated policy, approved by the Council's Cabinet, reflects new statutory duties and powers introduced by the Act, which came into effect on May 1, 2026. This move signifies a shift from a discretionary enforcement model to a mandatory one, requiring the Council to actively enforce landlord legislation. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces new statutory duties and powers for local authorities to actively enforce landlord legislation, expanding investigatory powers, introducing new offences, and strengthening the use of civil penalties, Rent Repayment Orders, and Banning Orders. Specifically, it introduces a statutory duty for local housing authorities to enforce landlord legislation under section 107, and expands investigatory powers through sections 114-118. New offences include those related to unlawful eviction, harassment, failure to comply with improvement notices, licensing offences for HMOs and selective licensing, overcrowding notices, management regulations, electrical safety standards, breaching banning orders, and new tenancy reform requirements such as rental bidding bans and discrimination provisions.
Councillor Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Assets, Regeneration and Development, presented the updated policy, highlighting its importance in ensuring compliance, reducing legal and operational risks, and providing clarity for officers, landlords, and tenants. The updated Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy clarifies the Council's approach to informal and formal enforcement actions. Where identified deficiencies give rise solely to minor or moderate Category 2 hazards, the Council will not normally take formal enforcement action and will instead seek to secure compliance through informal measures, having regard to the principles of proportionality, consistency, and risk. A graduated and proportionate approach to enforcement will be adopted, escalating action where necessary. This includes Stage 1 – Advice and Informal Action, Stage 2 – Monitoring and Engagement, and Stage 3 – Formal Enforcement Action. Formal enforcement actions include Improvement Notices, Hazard Awareness Notices, Prohibition Orders, Emergency Remedial Action, Civil Financial Penalties, and consideration of Sanctions and Prosecution. The Council reserves the right to bypass informal stages and proceed directly to formal enforcement where circumstances warrant it, including where there is a serious risk to health or safety, vulnerability, or a history of non-compliance.
The revised policy framework clarifies the Council's approach to both informal and formal enforcement actions, ensuring they are proportionate and risk-based. The policy also establishes clear transitional arrangements for civil penalties. The existing Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy will continue to apply to offences committed before 1 May 2026. A revised civil penalty matrix will apply to offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, in line with new legislation and government guidance. The policy also outlines potential financial implications for landlords through civil penalties, with statutory maximums ranging from £7,000 to £40,000 depending on the offence. The policy details a two-stage assessment process for determining the level of civil penalty, considering the banding of the offence based on culpability and harm, and then adjusting the level based on aggravating or mitigating factors. Landlords may also face additional costs if they fail to pay a civil penalty, leading to county court recovery actions, or if the Council carries out works in default to remedy hazards, the full cost of which can be recovered.
This integration of the Renters' Rights Act into Hounslow's policy framework is expected to lead to improved housing standards, greater tenant protection, and a more consistent and legally robust enforcement approach across the private rented sector in the borough. The updated policy aims to provide clarity for officers, landlords, and tenants regarding the Council's enforcement role. The policy outlines the Council's approach to informal and formal enforcement actions, including advice and guidance, monitoring, and formal notices. It also details the potential sanctions, including civil penalties and prosecution, for non-compliance. The policy states that the updated framework will be published on the Council's website and communicated internally to relevant teams. External communications will focus on providing clarity to landlords, letting agents, and tenants about the Council's enforcement approach under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Furthermore, the policy mentions that officers will carry official identification confirming their authorization to exercise enforcement powers.
For more details, please refer to the Public reports pack for the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 14 July 2026 Public reports pack Tuesday 14-Jul-2026 19.00 Cabinet.pdf.
