Commencement of Local Housing Authority Financial Penalty Powers for category 1 hazards
On 22 June 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No 3) Regulations 2026/628 (“the Regulations”) will come into force, enabling local housing authorities to impose financial penalties on responsible persons where qualifying residential premises contain a category 1 hazard that could reasonably have been removed.
The Regulations bring into force the following provisions of the RRA:
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Local housing authorities have the power to impose a financial penalty of up to £7,000 on the responsible person where qualifying residential premises contain a category 1 hazard which it would have been reasonably practicable to remove.
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The procedure for imposing these financial penalties, how to appeal against such penalties, their enforcement, and how local housing authorities must apply the proceeds.
Local housing authorities need to be aware of these changes and update their enforcement processes to take account of the changes ahead of their coming into force on 22 June 2026.
For more information, get in touch with Gabrielle Roberts or Lynn James.