New powers to protect tenants

Blaby District Council has officially adopted enforcement powers following new legislation designed to improve standards across the private rental sector. 

Cabinet Executive agreed the introduction of a new Private Sector Housing Civil Penalty Policy at their recent meeting, in response to the Renters Rights Act. 

The bill brings in a raft of reforms offering tenants better security, rights and safeguards. Alongside this, local authorities have fresh obligations to act on infringements and impose civil penalties.  

These have been expanded to include a wider range of offences and an increase in fines of up to £7,000 for minor offences and £40,000 for more serious or continued offences.  

Councils are now also required to outline enforcement activity via an annual report to government.  

A number of changes in the legislation only came into effect from 1 May 2026. These included:    

• Abolition of section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions    
• Introduction of assured periodic tenancies (rather than assured shorthold tenancies)    
• Reform of possession grounds, landlords are only able to evict if they have a valid reason. Possession grounds are extended to make it easier to evict tenants who commit anti-social behaviour or are in serious rent arrears     
• Rent rises limited to once a year    
• A ban on rental bidding and rent in advance      
• A ban on discrimination against renters who have children or in receipt of benefits    
• Landlords have to provide a valid reason to refuse tenant requests for pets   
• Rent Repayments Orders extended to allow for repayment of up to two years’ rent   

Where breaches of the landlord legislation are found, the Council must now actively consider enforcement action rather than defaulting to advice or informal resolution in the first instance. However, officers will always seek to work proactively with landlords to try and prevent breaches from occurring in the first place. 

The Association of Chief Environmental Health Officers (ACEHO) have developed national model policies to help local authorities meet these new duties in a clear and consistent manner. This includes a Civil Penalty Policy which forms the basis of Blaby District Council’s newly agreed Private Sector Housing Civil Penalty Policy.    

Since the act came into force, and shortly before it, the Council’s Environmental Health Services team (EHS) had already experienced an increase in housing disrepair cases, including damp and mould complaints, general enquiries and required site visits. 

To cope with the increased demand, the creation of a dedicated Private Sector Housing team was also approved, consisting of three new posts and transfer of an existing role. 

Councillor Susan Findlay, Portfolio Holder for Homelessness, Housing and Community Safety, said: "The Renters Rights Act brings in a range of new protections aiming to raise standards across the private rented sector, an area where previously our powers of enforcement were limited.  

"The adoption of the new policy is a welcome move, bringing clarity and consistency to how we can support tenants. I know officers have already been working hard, reaching out to landlords and tenants to help them get to grips with the new legislation. I’m sure our freshly approved Private Sector Housing team will continue in the same vein."

To find out more about the new Renters' Rights legislation and the Council's new powers visit - for tenants: Private Rented Tenants and for landlords: Private Landlords

Councillor Susan Findlay
Portfolio Holder for Homelessness, Housing and Community Safety