Council launches consultation with tenants on landlord fines

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Council launches consultation with tenants on landlord fines

A council is asking renters to help decide how much it will fine landlords who breach rules under the Renters’ Rights Act.

The law introduces civil penalties of up to £7,000 for breaches and up to £40,000 for more serious offences.

It also hands councils stronger enforcement powers over the private rented sector.

Now Bristol City Council is consulting on exactly how those penalties should be set locally.

Grabbing the opportunity

The Bristol Live website reports Green councillor Barry Parsons, chair of the housing committee, saying: “This council will be grabbing the opportunities it presents with both hands … to bring the biggest benefits that we possibly can to renters.”

National statutory guidance for councils sets out the starting levels for different offence types and lists aggravating and mitigating factors they must consider.

While the council’s draft policy closely follows that guidance, it retains discretion over some starting levels for fines.

These include licence condition offences and electrical safety regulation breaches.

Civil penalty policy required

The council says that a new civil penalty policy is required to allow officers to determine the level of financial penalty for offences.

The draft sets out how discretionary factors would be interpreted and applied case by case.

Tom Gilchrist, the head of service for private housing, gave councillors on the housing policy committee an update on the act.

He said the council has not yet seen landlords exiting the market or a spike in homelessness linked to the abolition of Section 21.

However, he acknowledged that some smaller landlords with one or a handful of properties may struggle with the new compliance landscape.

The public consultation on its draft civil penalty policy runs until March 30 via the council’s website.

Licence checks and rising penalties

Meanwhile, Bristol’s private landlords are being urged to check whether their properties require a licence.

Those without the right licence can face prosecution, an unlimited fine or a Civil Penalty Notice of up to £30,000.

That sum will rise to £40,000 from 1 May following the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

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