Landlords can be fined up to £7,000 from this week if they refuse to fix poor housing conditions. The penalty applies to issues such as damp, mould, freezing conditions, faulty electrics, fire hazards, structural issues, and unsafe layouts. Around 10% of private rented homes are estimated to have at least one of these dangerous problems, according to government figures.
New Powers Under the Renters' Rights Act
These new powers are being introduced as part of the Renters' Rights Act. Councils can already force landlords to repair serious hazards within a set timeframe and take landlords to court. They can also carry out emergency works themselves if there is an immediate danger and recover repair costs from landlords.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Renters deserve a safe, secure place to call home and our landmark Renters’ Rights Act gives councils more options to take speedy action against rogue landlords. These include the new power to issue a £7,000 penalty to a landlord when there is a hazard like severe damp or mould in a privately rented home – a situation that no family should have to live with.”
Reactions from Advocacy Groups
Ben Twomey, Chief Executive of Generation Rent, said: “Homes are the foundations of our lives, and no renter should have to live alongside mould, dampness and other risks to our health. The council being given the power to fine landlords up to £7,000 if they ignore repairs is an essential step towards raising the quality of rented homes. For renters to feel the benefit, though, councils must seek out and take action against those landlords who ignore unsafe conditions and profit from misery.”
Clara Collingwood, Director at the Renters' Reform Coalition, said: "Homes are the foundation for our lives, but for far too long hundreds of thousands of renters have been living in substandard homes that undermine our health and cause serious harm to children and vulnerable adults. It's great that authorities have new powers to tackle this, and they must start using them immediately to crack down on landlords who profit from unhealthy homes. And now that we have new rights as renters, we need to use them - any tenant living with serious disrepair or damp and mould should know they don't have to put up with it any longer. With new rights and protections, and section 21 evictions scrapped, we can't be evicted for complaining and shouldn't be afraid to report dodgy landlords to the council."
