A new Govt report - Local Authority Enforcement in the Private Rented Sector - has highlighted significant capacity problems with private rented housing standards enforcement by resource strapped local authorities across the country.

Govt has announced that the much awaited rental reform white paper will be published today (with a view to the reforms being made into pre-election legislation possibly before or by March 2023).

The DLUHC has launched a consultation on Govt plans to require landlords across all tenures, including the private rented sector, to make reasonable adaptations to the "common parts" of rented properties (typically flats) where requested to by a tenant with disabilities.

An east London managing agent/property manager who converted 2 family homes into 8 flats without permission has been told he will face a 9 month prison sentence if he does not pay within 3 months £73,850 "in accrued proceeds of crime" from rental income on the flats. He must also pay an £8000 fine for breaching enforcement notices and £3,065 in costs.

After becoming aware, in July 2020, of concerns for a private rented sector tenant's welfare due to the behaviour of the tenant's landlord officers from Peterborough council took evidence from the tenant and 2 independent witnesses.

Despite concerns amongst residents about growth of HMO numbers, Gedling borough council seems unlikely to go ahead with plans to restrict numbers of HMO's saying that there is insufficient evidence for it to make an article 4 direction to restrict HMO growth in the Netherfield area in the borough.

A Camden letting agent and its sole director (who had recently been subject to an ASB injunction and a banning order) along with the landlord and owner of an unlicensed HMO operated by the agent have been fined £80,000 and £40,000.

Whether or not you think the question is rhetorical, it is the case that an element of professionalism is increasingly required of landlords operating in the private rented sector and that this requirement isn’t just coming from tenants and groups supporting or lobbying for tenant interests.

Local authorities will need to check the wording of their civil penalty notices following a case in which a private rented sector landlord has partially won an appeal against the imposition on him of two breach of licence condition civil penalties by Liverpool council.

The department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) has announced the bidding competition for local authorities with successful bids to access up to £700 million of funding available to upgrade "a significant amount of" their housing stock to EPC level C. Housing Associations will also be eligible to access this funding.