Enforcement action
Enforcement action is any formal step taken by a Local Housing Authority (LHA), property tribunal, court or the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman to deal with breaches of your duties as a private landlord in the Private Rented Sector (PRS). It is what happens when informal advice and warnings have not worked, or the breach is serious.
For property standards, enforcement can include inspections under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), improvement notices, prohibition orders, emergency works, or conditions attached to an HMO licence. Failures around fit for human habitation, Awaab’s Law, fire safety, energy efficiency rules such as MEES or Higher rate efficiency standards (HRAD), or ignoring serious damp and mould complaints can all trigger action.
Financial and management breaches may lead to a civil penalty notice, Rent Repayment Order, or in extreme cases a banning order. Under the Renters’ Rights Act, enforcement also links to the PRS Database and Private Rented Sector Ombudsman, including failing to register, taking non-permitted payments or repeated prohibited payments, or mishandling tenancy deposits can restrict your ability to use possession grounds and damage your record as a professional rental business.
Professional landlords aim to avoid enforcement action by staying licensed where required, responding quickly to hazards, keeping strong paperwork and engaging constructively with councils and ombudsman schemes.
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