The Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Select Committee has published a report concluding that the Renters' Rights Act, while a significant step forward, does not go far enough to protect the most vulnerable tenants in the private rented sector. The cross-party committee made seven substantive recommendations to the government, covering enforcement, property standards, housing benefit, and the new Private Rented Sector (PRS) Database.
The Seven Key Recommendations
The committee's report sets out a clear agenda for strengthening the Act's impact:
- Introduce incentives for landlords to comply with the new Decent Homes Standard ahead of the 2035 deadline, rather than waiting for enforcement action.
- Roll out Awaab's Law — which requires landlords to fix damp and mould within fixed timeframes — to the private rented sector by the end of 2028/29.
- Conduct a full assessment of local authority resources available for PRS enforcement, given that only around £7 million of nearly £30 million in civil penalties imposed on landlords between 2023 and 2025 was actually collected.
- Develop the PRS Database to include landlord fitness and property quality data, not just registration information.
- Reverse the freeze on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, restoring them to at least the 30th percentile of local market rents to help the most vulnerable tenants afford private rented accommodation.
- Make it easier for local councils to set up local licensing schemes for private landlords.
- Ensure proactive regulation and enforcement by local authorities, backed by a credible long-term housing strategy.
Florence Eshalomi MP: 'Proactive Regulation Is Essential'
Committee chair Florence Eshalomi MP emphasised that the government must move beyond reactive enforcement. 'The private rented sector has too many properties that fall below acceptable standards, and too many tenants who lack the confidence or resources to challenge their landlord,' she said. 'The Renters' Rights Act gives us the framework — but without proper enforcement, resourcing, and a credible housing strategy, vulnerable tenants will continue to fall through the gaps.'
Rent Controls: Off the Table
The committee stopped short of recommending rent controls, concluding they are not a 'proportionate step' at this stage. The focus remains on enforcement, incentives for landlords, and improving housing benefit to make the private rented sector genuinely accessible to those on lower incomes.
NRLA Response: Welcome Enforcement Focus, But No to Licensing
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) welcomed the committee's focus on enforcement, particularly the finding that civil penalties are rarely collected. However, NRLA CEO Ben Beadle rejected the recommendation to make local licensing schemes easier to establish, arguing that such schemes would duplicate data already being collected by the PRS Database and add unnecessary cost and bureaucracy for compliant landlords.
What This Means for Chester Landlords
For landlords in Chester and North Wales, the committee's report is a signal that regulatory pressure on the private rented sector will continue to increase. The Decent Homes Standard, once extended to private rentals, will require many landlords to invest in property upgrades. The PRS Database, when it goes live, will be a mandatory registration requirement — and failure to register will restrict your ability to use most Section 8 possession grounds.
Speak to Our In-House Solicitors
PDA Letting Agents is Chester's only letting agency with an in-house landlord's solicitor. If you have questions about how the Renters' Rights Act affects your portfolio, or want to ensure your properties meet the new standards, contact us for a free consultation.
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