Enforcement Officers

Enforcement officers are officials who investigate and act on breaches of housing law and rental standards in the Private Rented Sector (PRS). Most commonly, they are officers employed by the Local Housing Authority (LHA), working with tools like the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), improvement notices and HMO licence enforcement. Some may specialise in Awaab’s Law, damp and mould or energy efficiency rules such as MEES and Higher rate efficiency standards (HRAD).

From a private landlord’s perspective, enforcement officers are the people who:

• Inspect properties and assess whether they are fit for human habitation.

• Decide whether to issue an improvement notice, emergency notice or prohibition order.

• Recommend financial sanctions such as a civil penalty notice, Rent Repayment Order or, in serious cases, a banning order.

Separate from council officers, court-appointed enforcement officers (bailiffs or enforcement agents) may also be involved in carrying out a possession order when you are lawfully regaining possession.

Under the Renters’ Rights Act, enforcement officers can also check permitted payments, tenancy deposits, PRS Database registration and engagement with the Private Rented Sector Ombudsman. Professional landlords treat them as regulators to be cooperated with: responding promptly, providing documents and fixing issues quickly.

Also see our landlord blog articles.