Consultation opened: Wednesday, 4 March 2026
Consultation closed: Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Civil penalties will fall into two main levels: up to £7,000 and up to £40,000, depending on the seriousness of the breach.
Penalties up to £7,000
These cover administrative or procedural failures and unlawful practices that affect transparency and fairness in the lettings process.
Examples include:
- not giving tenants, the required written terms or legal information
- trying to let or end a tenancy in ways that are not legally allowed
- serving eviction notices incorrectly
- failing to give tenants proper notice about possession grounds
- not providing tenants with updated legal information introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025
- discriminating against tenants because they have children or receive benefits
- not stating rent clearly in adverts or encouraging “rent bidding”
Penalties up to £40,000
These apply to more serious breaches or offences, including those that put tenants’ safety or security at risk.
Examples include:
- failing to meet electrical safety standards
- unlawful eviction or harassment
- repeated offending behaviour after a previous penalty
- knowingly relying on false grounds to seek possession
- breaching rules on reletting or remarketing a property
- breaching a banning order
- failing to obtain required property licences (HMO or selective licences)
- failing to comply with improvement or overcrowding notices
- over occupation of a HMO
- failing to comply with HMO management or licence conditions
These offences can put tenants’ safety, security, and wellbeing at risk, and therefore carry higher penalties.
Multiple penalties
A separate penalty can be issued for each breach or offence, and each responsible landlord or agent can be penalised individually. This ensures fairness and encourages compliance across the sector.
