Landlords face £7,000 fines for damp and mould in government crackdown

The government has announced landlords will face on-the-spot fines of £7,000 for severe damp and mould, as well as for broken-down boilers during freezing temperatures.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed has written to England’s councils calling on them to use the powers at their disposal to tackle poor conditions in the private rented sector and protect tenants.

The new rules come into force under the Renters’ Rights Act starting this week (Monday 22nd June).

£7,000 fine for severe damp and mould

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Renters deserve a safe, secure place to call home, and our landmark Renters’ Rights Act gives councils more options to take swift action against rogue landlords.

“These include the new power to issue a £7,000 penalty to a landlord when there is a hazard such as severe damp or mould in a privately rented home, a situation that no family should have to live with.”

The fine will apply to 21 types of serious hazards, classified as the most dangerous level. These include freezing conditions, faulty electrics, fire risks, structural issues and unsafe layouts.

The government says severe damp and mould are also included on the list, along with broken-down boilers in freezing temperatures.

The new penalty sits alongside existing powers councils can use to tackle unsafe homes that put tenants at risk.

These include forcing repairs, carrying out emergency works and recovering costs from landlords who fail to act.

Crack down on landlords who profit from unhealthy homes

Tenant groups have welcomed the government’s crackdown on landlords.

Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said: “Homes are the foundations of our lives, and no renter should have to live alongside mould, dampness and other risks to our health.

“The council being given the power to fine landlords up to £7,000 if they ignore repairs is an essential step towards raising the quality of rented homes. For renters to feel the benefit, though, councils must seek out and take action against those landlords who ignore unsafe conditions and profit from misery.”

Clara Collingwood, director at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “Homes are the foundation of our lives, but for far too long, hundreds of thousands of renters have been living in substandard homes that undermine our health and cause serious harm to children and vulnerable adults.

“It’s great that authorities have new powers to tackle this, and they must start using them immediately to crack down on landlords who profit from unhealthy homes.

“And now that we have new rights as renters, we need to use them. Any tenant living with serious disrepair or damp and mould should know they don’t have to put up with it any longer.

“With new rights and protections, and Section 21 evictions scrapped, we can’t be evicted for complaining and shouldn’t be afraid to report dodgy landlords to the council.”

Changes HHSRS

As previously reported by Property118, the government has also announced changes to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

The government claims updating the rules will support quicker enforcement, helping to ensure hazards such as damp, fire risks and unsafe electrics are addressed more effectively.