Awaab’s Law is set to expand from 30 November, extending existing response timeframes beyond damp and mould to a wider range of hazards in social housing, including excess cold and heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosion, electrical hazards, and domestic hygiene. The article also highlights that the new guidance places strong emphasis on the landlord’s initial triage judgment and on addressing root causes rather than temporary fixes.
Landlord Action reports a sharp rise in possession-related enquiries and instructions as landlords responded to the final deadline for bringing Section 21 claims under the transitional arrangements linked to the Renters’ Rights Act. The article also gives an early snapshot of how landlords are using the revised Section 8 grounds, with rent arrears and sale-related grounds currently the most common.
Propertymark says the Renters Rights Act will change rental marketing and onboarding by requiring active database entries for both landlord and property before a home can be advertised. It also expects written adverts to carry unique identifiers, with compliance checks becoming part of agents’ instruction and listing workflows.
A domestic building firm has been fined £60,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries in a fall through an unprotected roof light during roof refurbishment in Fulham. The Health and Safety Executive found that suitable fall protection measures were not in place and that the company breached Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
The article explains the UK Government’s planning practice guidance on biodiversity net gain in England. It sets out the statutory requirement for most developments to achieve at least a 10% biodiversity value uplift, usually secured through a Biodiversity Gain Plan before commencement of works.
Stoke-on-Trent council is proposing a major tightening of controls on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), including an Article 4 Direction, ward-level caps on HMO concentrations, and a city-wide additional licensing scheme for smaller HMOs. The measures are intended to address resident concerns about the local impacts of high HMO density, including noise, waste and parking pressure.
Knight Frank argues that the Renters Rights Act is having unintended consequences, with tighter rules and reduced landlord confidence contributing to lower supply and higher advertised rents. The article also links anticipated EPC C requirements from 2030 and tax pressures to further constraints on rental stock, particularly in London markets.
The article argues that the Renters’ Rights Act is already producing unintended consequences, including upward pressure on rents, reduced flexibility for tenants without guarantors, and new risks for landlords trying to sell rental properties. It cites early market data and industry commentary suggesting the reforms are reshaping behaviour before their full effects are understood.
The article reports that under proposed Finance Bill 2027 measures, HMRC would gain stronger powers to penalise landlords for tax reporting errors that are not corrected after a Customer Correction Notice. It also notes that HMRC recovered more than £100 million in unpaid tax from property owners in the latest reported year, following nudge letters.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is consulting on a revised housing enforcement and financial penalty policy aimed at landlords, with tougher starting penalties for issues including electrical safety breaches and HMO fire standard failures. The update follows new duties and powers under the Renters Rights Act and includes the possibility of increasing penalties by 50% where aggravating factors are present.
The High Court has dismissed a second judicial review challenge to Thurrock Council’s Selective Licensing Scheme, allowing the scheme to proceed. The council says the licensing regime is intended to improve housing standards in the private rented sector, and landlords in the designated wards must obtain a licence to let properties.
The Office for Nuclear Regulation has extended two improvement notices served on Bouygues Travaux Publics SAS and Laing O’Rourke Delivery Ltd, partners in the Bylor joint venture at Hinkley Point C, after a worker was seriously injured by a falling formwork panel. The regulator said the firms had made progress but still need more time to demonstrate full compliance with the notices, which relate to planning, management and monitoring of construction work under CDM 2015.
