Concerns have been raised about a new amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill, agreed by the House of Lords, which would allow local councils to carry out surprise inspections of private rented properties without giving advance notice to landlords.
The change means council officers could enter homes for enforcement inspections without the current requirement to give landlords at least 24 hours’ notice. Instead, landlords would be notified within a “reasonable amount of time” after the inspection. Notice to tenants would still be required before entry.
Phil Turtle, director at Landlord Licensing & Defence, warned that the new powers could lead to increased targeting of landlords and significant fines for minor issues.
He said: “Councils have been carrying out surprise inspections for years, often under the flimsiest of pretexts. They claim suspicion of unlicensed properties or breaches of regulations to justify unannounced visits, sometimes arriving at 5am with eight officers dressed in uniforms resembling those of the police.
“These tactics are designed to intimidate tenants, and the Renters’ Rights Bill only legitimises this behaviour, giving councils even more scope to target landlords.”
Turtle highlighted that current laws already allow councils to enter properties without notice in some cases, such as where there are suspected offences under the Housing Act 2004 or the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. He also claimed that council officers often use these powers to “catch out” landlords for minor infractions, including incomplete paperwork.
He said: “This has little to do with tackling rogue landlords. Councils use these powers daily to penalise landlords who may not have everything 100% perfect.”
He added: “Council officers are already overplaying their hand to intimidate tenants and with the new rules, I shudder to think what might happen, but the rules will be exploited.”
Last week it became clear that the Renters’ Rights Bill will return to the House of Commons on 8 September, shortly after Parliament reconvenes after the summer recess. That session is expected to focus on consideration of amendments made in the House of Lords.
